CGD

Jan Solpera: teacher, colleague, friend, mentor, inspiration, orator, military historian, fan of ponds, tea and south Bohemian nature, expert in graphic arts, fish gourmand... these are only a few of Honza's evident and hidden talents. As for his work, I love his theatre posters, book editions and, of course, the excellent typeface designs which I have had the privilege to digitise. Typefaces are where our paths most intersect; I like his typefaces for their visual purity. Looking at his work, I find it difficult to say anything objective. Because I'm not an art historian, I guess I'm allowed to use a subjective and emotional word such as "like". He has helped many people, students and graduates alike, with their careers. I was very impressed by his efforts at establishing a new AAAD studio for Petr Babák in spite of their different approaches and artistic goals. I can also tell a story about how he got me out of the military service and into the civil service at the AAAD where I worked as his assistant. After he left the AAAD studio, I took over trying to promote the same values he championed - craftsmanship, an individual approach to students and strana the courage to experiment.

I feel privileged to live in the same era as him. There's a bit of an age gap between us but who cares. After all, I was creatively influenced by Josef Týfa, who was much older and who had a lot in common with Honza. If I were to choose one person whom I could blame for typography dominating my other interests, I would not have to go far - the man lives just seven kilometres from my summer house in the picturesque town of Třeboň. Nowadays, we're seeing a boom in typography in the Czech Republic thanks to Brousil and his students. But I keep on telling everybody that Solpera is to blame too!

František Štorm

In addition to my biological father, I've always said that I have two other fathers, without whom my life on this planet would not be possible. One of them is Dalibor Chatrný who introduced me to a brand new world when I was a secondary school student, the world in which paper provides unexpected dimensions, totally different from measly 2 D. And, of course, the other is my typo-father Jan Solpera. At alumni parties, when I've overstayed my I my welcome and the canapés are all stale, when I'm holding one of my classmates in my arms, who's now 20 kilos heavier, we both half-whisper: "Do you remember our professor, Jan Solpera? What a man he was." And then the conversation is usually steered towards pretty explicit themes. Solpera introduced me to yet another space the world of type, which I considered dead or at least predetermined, a world which was impossible to enter. I could just humbly flip through proofs of type families, rattle the alloy for the hot metal typesetting, point my finger and choose what I fancied, as if I was in a sweet shop - Oh, I think I'd like this typeface for the titles in Franz the Great's Metamorphosis. Mr. Solpera let me in to this world of animal type. I smelled the crotch of the letter A, French-kissed the letter E, peeked at the underarm of the letter Z and admired the beautiful, sinuate, round bosom of the letter O. He was able to convince me that typefaces were alive and that you just had to tap them out of the paper. Even though I was not a typographer, he had faith in me and let me explore. I am so grateful for his accompanying me on my way through this deep forest full of glades and basketfuls of sweet raspberries, the expansive world of type families. He was not afraid to let me make experiments, some of which I must say he never fully understood. He was able to, instinctively, become enthused by styles he would probably never naturally warm to. Now, as the head of a studio at our alma mater, I'm trying to remember what was so great about his teaching and some memories are still fresh in my mind. It does not need analysing. I remember particularly that he could see when ho a student was ready to follow their own path; he just gave advice without intruding so that the student wouldn't get totally lost. He didn't put you under any pressure and didn't stand in the way with his advice. And yet he wasn't afraid to call you up on things, but when he saw that you were working hard, he gave you the green light. That is something I would like to learn. To see when I should let a student be, not to interfere and just watch things take shape.

I always tell the young and wild to go and look for some printed Solperas. You can get them at second-hand book shops for giveaway prices and some of them are real gems – the unique work that combines a quality writer with a detailed graphic designer. Camus and The Stranger, Zázračná hra světa by Novalis (selected contemplations and fragments), Shakespeare, Wysplansky, Hans Arp, Stories by Franz Kafka, The Dreamer by Julien Green – reams and reams of books refined by Jan Solpera's hand. I should also mention a different visual category – the iconic Tvář literary magazine from the 1970s with its remarkable editors and corresponding looks. I urge you to look for one next time you're in that second-hand bookshop and add to your collection. I recommend checking out his book designs too. At first, I was a bit disconcerted by his use of frills and his historicising convolutions. But don't let that discourage you. It takes a while but you soon enter a carefully crafted and well-informed visual world of typefaces that follows a precise historic path. It's important to learn from the best. Not to be left adrift. To pick up on and borrow from work of real quality. Even though many people complain about the Czech Grand Design Awards behind the scenes, I'm happy that this award is the first to celebrate a figure such as Jan Solpera – this timid man from the region o the region of dank ponds and creeping mists, who wears Levi's wherever he goes! Even though this prominent typo-figure and supreme pedagogue, creator of Storm, Najbrt, Kvízová, Pistora and Babák recently celebrated an important anniversary, he seems to have been undeservedly forgotten by the critics. Go and discover his work! That said, you may know him already... You may have unwittingly licked one of the post stamps he's designed. Open up your purse or wallet and leaf through the banknotes. Before the euro gobbles us up, take a look at Solpera's Insignia typeface next to the heads of Němcová or Komenský. You hold Solpera in your hands several times a day!

Men usually find it hard to express. But I have to get this out of my system. Here it goes...Even though I haven't seen you much recently, I have to tell you: Mr. Solpera, I love you. I feel blessed to know you and thanks for everything. I'm also curious to know what you're going to be wearing at the Czech Grand Design Awards ceremony since I've yet to see a tuxedo made out of Levi's. Although something tells me you may have had one made for you in Třeboň a while back!

Petr Babák