František Muzika

František Muzika (26 June 1900 – 1 November 1974) was a Czech artist. He was a prominent representative of avant-garde in Czechoslovakia in the first half of the 20th century.

Muzika was a painter, graphic designer, stage designer, illustrator, editor and professor at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.

Biography Muzika was born in Prague. He was a member of Devětsil since 1921 and Mánes since 1923. After finishing his study at the Academy of Arts, Prague in 1924, he received a one-year scholarship from the French government for studying at École des Beaux-Arts. In Paris he also received private lessons from František Kupka at his atelier. In Paris he met Max Jacob, who took him to meet Léonce Rosenberg. On Sundays he had regular meetings with Joseph Bernard, where he also met Maillol and Bissière, with whom he exhibited at Salon d'Automne.

In 1925, after he returned from Paris, his experiences with the work of Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso led Muzika to change his style of painting.

In his final years, he suffered from cardiac disease. He died 1 November 1974 in his atelier, with his final, unfinished work, "Staircase" ("Schodiště") on the easel. and Eliška Konopiská.

Exhibitions Muzika's paintings and drawings are in many Czech and foreign galleries, as well as in the Centre Pompidou, Paris. Muzika had many exhibitions in Czechoslovakia, beginning in 1922.

International group exhibits Invitation from Gallery André François Petit to the exhibition 'Obsessions et Visions' 1948 – Biennale Venice 1964 – Biennale Venice 1968 – Obsessions et Visions, Gallery André François Petit, Paris (exhibited together with Giorgio de Chirico, Max Ernst, Salvador Dalí, René Magritte) 1969 – Surrealism in Europe, Baukunst Gallery, Cologne, Germany 1969 – "Phases", Musee d'Ixelles, Brussels

International solo exhibits 1965 – Galleria del Naviglio, Milan, Italy 1965 – Galleria del Cavallino, Venice, Italy 1967 – Galerie Maya, Brussels, Belgium 1971 – Lambert Monet Art Gallery, Geneva, Switzerland 1972 – Baukunst Galerie, Cologne, Germany

International stage design exhibits Vienna 1935 Milano 1936 Paris 1937 São Paulo 1959 Touring exhibition, South America 1960–1963

International awards 1937 – 2 awards—exhibition in Paris (stage design) 1939 – 2 awards VI. Triennale, Milan 1959 – Gold Medal – books graphics, Leipzig, Germany

Czechoslovak awards 1939—Honor award—Society of Bibliophiles 1949—State award for book design 1961—Meritorious Artist (Zasloužilý umělec), for graphic work and pedagogic work 1964—Award for book "Krásné Písmo" (Státní nakladatelství krásné literatury a umění) 1966—Award and medal "Řád Práce" for lifetime art work and for theoretical and pedagogic work

Posters Prague Spring (international music festival) 1946, 1947, 1981 Page with the logo ( or forte) from Muzika's poster adorning the Rudolfinum during the annual festival E. Filla exhibition 1947 J. Wagner exhibition 1957