Mucha: The Story of an Artist Who Created a Style (Svet podle Muchy)

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Sunday Showcase

Mucha: The Story of an Artist Who Created a Style (Svet podle Muchy)
Directed by Roman Vávra

Sunday, November 20, 1 pm

Free

At the end of the 19th century, the Czech artist Alphonse Mucha (1860-1939) ranked among the pioneers of the Art Nouveau movement. Virtually overnight, he became famous in Paris thanks to his posters of star actress Sarah Bernhardt. But at the height of his fame, Mucha left Paris to realize his lifetime project The Slav Epic. He worked on the monumental cycle of paintings for 18 years – only to meet fierce criticism upon completion.

In the 1960s, the hippie movement rediscovered his pictorial world and his Art Nouveau posters attained cult status. Mucha continues to inspire many artists even today. In the documentary, graphic designer Stanley Mouse, graffiti artist Mear One, and illustrator Yoshitaka Amano talk about his influence on their works. Nevertheless, Alphonse Mucha is perhaps one of the most famous underrated artists in the world.

The feature documentary tells the story of Alphonse Mucha from the perspective of his son, the writer and bon-vivant Jiří Mucha, with an abundance of re-enactments, animations, archive footage as well as paintings, and photos. 2020, Czech Republic/Germany, DCP, 95 minutes.  Recommended for 12+.

This film is being screened in conjunction with the exhibition Alphonse Mucha: Art Nouveau Visionary.