Tititi plus School of Applied Art

Toy design has been taught as a subject at the Higher Professional School of Applied Art and Secondary Professional School of Applied Art (or “Žižkárna”) at Žižkov for several decades. In addition to the experience in craftwork, the graduates have produced numerous art designs, including school projects. The separate field of toy design is unavailable at a university level; however, graduates may further develop their work by choosing study programmes focused on architecture and design. Toy design as an object of study appears sporadically in these university programmes or merely as one of the semester assignments.

In an effort not to give up the future of the field and to find an alternative to redirecting students of toy design to other areas of design, Žižkárna has teamed up with the Tititi studio (Tereza Talichová). The school was, therefore, able to provide its students with the experience of contemporary toy production. The cooperation with Tititi showcased to students one of the possible ways of self-realisation in the field and encouraged them to be bolder in exercising their creative potential. Following the assignment to create classic types of toys (construction sets, jigsaw puzzles, carousels) influenced by the theme of “idols” (similar to the Idols series by Tititi from 2023), the students introduced their world of icons and inspirations from the field of art, film or theatre.

The project’s outcome was exhibited during Designblok 2024 at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.

Author of the text: Mgr. Marie Míčová (Curator at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague)

Toyen made by Kristýna Šlingrová (final year student)

Ladislav Sutnar/Wooden Block Puzzle made by Lucie Čermáková (final year student)

Jean Dubuffet/Wooden Block Puzzle made by Pavel Čestnějšaj (final year student)

Franz Marc/Wooden Block Puzzle made by Anna Rohde (final year student)

View of the project installation at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague during Designblok 2024