When shoes, choose Botas!

Last week we have launched the When shoes, choose Botas! exhibition at the newly opened Retromuseum Cheb. This is the first elaboration of a view on the Botas brand of this type. An eponymous image catalogue was published along with the exhibition and it is available in our webstore and both stores in Prague. We highly recommend the trip to Cheb, not just because of Botas shoes, but also because of the entire Retromuseum and the unexpectedly impressive town of Cheb. The exhibition is on show until August 31

The When shoes, choose Botas! exhibition reminds us about the phenomenon of the brand that represents a memory of the youth of many Czechoslovaks. It focuses on the period since the foundation of the brand in the 60s to the most productive 80s, and touches the contemporary label BOTAS 66. It lets us look into the history of the shoe company, into the background of its production, into both familiar and lesser-known range products and also various forms of advertisement. It points out the famous personalities of Czechoslovak professional athletes that have worked closely with Botas, and small stories of common people for which sport and Botas shoes have merged into their lifestyle. Finally, it introduces the story of two students who were able to return the brand into common knowledge in 2008.

“We greatly appreciate to be approached by the Retromuseum to prepare the inaugural exhibition especially because behind its creation, overall concept and preparation of the permanent exhibition, which has been prepared extensively, stand prominent personalities from the field of theory and history of design and institutions like the Museum of Decorative Arts or the National Technical Museum in Prague.

Our hands were free when it came to the preparation. The Retromuseum showed particular interest in including a section about the current BOTAS 66 lifestyle brand alongside the historic part about the sports brand Botas in the exhibition. And it was definitely confirmed that Botas shoes have earned their rightful place on the Czech design scene,“ said the curators of the project Darina Zavadilová and Jan Kloss.

When shoes, choose Botas!
The Botas Phenomenon in Czechoslovakia
Retromuseum Cheb
Krále Jiřího z Poděbrad 17
Cheb

Open Tue – Sun 10 – 17
Entry: 80 CZK (valid for the whole Retromuseum)
www.retromuseum.cz

Curators, concept of exhibition and catalogue: Darina Zavadilová, Jan Kloss
Visual concept and architecture: Jan Kloss, Matěj Činčera
Photographers: Jan Kloss, Matěj Činčera
Translation: Zuzana Těťálová
Production of exposition: Studio Činčera

Exhibits borrowed by:
BOD BOD BOD s.r.o., Botas a.s., Museum of Skuteč, Shoeast, private owners

Thanks to all who participated in the preparations – gave us their archives, delivered texts or contributed valuable information.

Thank you: Libor Aksler, Jan Čapek, Studio Činčera, René Doubek, Jaroslava Hajná, Milada Hartlová, Helena Heckelová, Aneta Hejnová, Pavel Hladík, Věra Kajzrlíková, Eva Korbelová, Jakub Korouš, Vojtěch Kotek, Tereza Malcovská, Milan Mlynář, František Nestával, Daria Nováčková, Jaroslav Polanecký, Stanislav Procházka, Blanka Řezáčová, Juraj Šuška, Magdaléna Trčálková, Zdeněk Vrbenský, Josef Zavadil, Robert Zelinka and more.