Alena Nievaldová — Reynolds Gallery Exhibition (2019)

Marie Anna Lee curated this Reynolds Gallery exhibition of work by Czech illustrator and graphic designer Alena Nievaldová and designed its promotional poster.

Nievaldová studied bookmaking and typography at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague in the 1970s. She subsequently created book illustrations, film posters, books, and covers, including children’s titles for Albatross. Her methods include woodcuts, wood engraving, pen-and-ink drawing, and gouache.

After the changes in Czech publishing that followed 1989, Nievaldová taught design and developed digital skills. She founded JanAltonDesign, a graphic studio producing promotional graphics, music covers, publications, identity design, and websites for clients including the Czech Philharmonic, Prague State Opera, Supraphon, and Radioservis.

The exhibition connected her illustration and graphic design work. Its first room presented illustrations in a range of media for different audiences; the second featured a selection of the hundreds of audio covers she designed for Radioservis. These photographs document the two gallery spaces, displays, and objects.