p r a g u e . b l a g u e

pee-voh pro-seem

I believe the exact words were, "Way to pull it out of the water. I mean dung heap. Way to pull it out of the dung heap." I'll take that as a compliment. I was definitely feeling overwhelmed by the dung. It was pretty much up to my neck. Yay.

tourism and prague

This drawing is my first step toward defining a style for the souvenir project. The Easter Market is a seasonally specific example of how special events and tourism can change the character of a city and a particular setting within the city. The idea is to exaggerate the features of the city that are affected by the event and to contrast those exaggerations with different representations of the other features, in this example, the buildings. Color is one way to show these differences, but the challenge here will be defining those contrasting drawing styles and representations and to distinguish these renderings from already existing examples.

The idea of a calendar is still appealing to me. I've been thinking about how the calendar itself might be incorporated into the drawing. In this example, what might happen if some of the Easter eggs in the tree became dates in the month of March? What other formats might the calendar take?

These images show how Old Town Square changes during the World Cup in the summer and the Christmas markets in the winter. Next steps are to photograph the Square from the four corners (4 corners, 4 seasons, how CORNVENIENT) and to prepare examples of exaggerated features so I can move on to some crazy drawings. So scared. Help.

communism museum

I don't know how many people other than Kyle have been to the communism museum, but it's pretty interesting. I went to do research for my Communist set of pieces, because I was a bit stuck. I think going there helped me resolve one of my pieces, but a couple of the others still have issues. I think I'm going to make the bishop be Karl Marx, because the communist ideals were based off of his writings and obsolete economic theories about how the life of the whole society should revolve around industrial production.

One of the most interesting things I learned at the museum dealt with the money. After Stalin's death, the relaxed condition of the socialist camp's purely ideological aspects gave way to pragmatism. In 1957 a "second currency" was introduced to allow the privileged class to purchase foreign goods. This foreign currency was called Tuzex crowns, and though it had the same value as Czech crowns, it was worth five times more because it could be traded for inaccessable goods in special shops. 160 Tuzex could be traded on the black market for 800 Czech crowns.

Something that I found upsetting was how much the industrialization damaged the health of the people and the environment. Mining for raw materials turned forests into wastelands, and the pollution from all the factories killed even more forests. The soil was damaged and the underground water was contaminated. A large number of small wildlife species were exterminated, and the average human lifespan was five years less than it was in democratic countries at the time [it increased quickly after the fall of Communism].

Though the museum could use a makeover, it was really interesting to learn about how things were. I recommend you go if you haven't! [it is a tad expensive though, 140 kc]

Music Box Mechanical Tour -o- Prague

My souvenir is a (very) small wooden music box. Once wound (carefully with a pair of tweezers) the box erupts into a mechanical puppet show displaying the wonders of Prague. The show is accompanied by mechanical music. The mechanical show will follow a tourist through a couple of touristy scenes: a crowd staring at the astro clock, watching a marionette show, walking the Charles Bridge, and so forth. I was also going to combine sites in surrealistic ways. At the end of the song the box will unfold into a larger scene of Prague and possibly shoot off a few fireworks. The music is from the man who stands on the Charles Bridge and plays the ‘Syncopator Factor.’ Because building this box is likely to be impossible, I am going to present it as an animation. I have busied myself so far coming up with concepts and cutting out possible pieces to use. I have also been working on editing the music down to a manageable length. I imagine the box as being made of wood and its moving pieces of tin. It will be about the size of a pinky nail.

s o u v e n i r s . p r a g u e

The Bohemia glass objects (figurines and vases in all different shapes and sizes) are appealing to some tourists because they reference something precious and authentic to the Czech Republic. They represent something that can be expensive, rare, and unique to a certain region. The miniature crystal figurines could be appealing to some collectors for their diversity and the fact that they are part of a series. Like the vases, these also possess some preciousness, at least at first glance, because of their fragile nature; they are also objects meant to be displayed not handled often which people usually associate with expensive pieces.

The painted porcelain plates and beer glasses depicting famous landscapes from Prague carry a similar appeal. They literally reference places in Prague that tourists usually visit so they offer a way for people to remember those places and have them in a form for display for others to see.

The mass of Infant Jesus porcelain figurines are such curious souvenirs. It seems that it's a popular thing tourists want to see more for its strangeness, not for its religious significance. The many outfits and colors and sizes also make it appealing for some as a series or as something to collect.

And then there's the cheap Astronomical Clock replica of Prague's most enduring landmark in all its glory...I can't really explain that one.

The majority of the souvenirs I've seen seem to be either cheap objects dressed up in gold or something shiny in order to look expensive (mini perfume bottles, gold wire figurines, etc.), or they are objects or sites that carry historical or religious meaning that are cheapened by being painted on ordinary household porcelain objects like plates and bottles. Also using the excuse of something being hand painted and made in Prague doesn't mask the fact that these objects are mass produced and there's nothing really special or unique about them except perhaps the fact that they are from the Czech Republic. The appeal of all souvenirs good or bad is that they represent a part of a place that you've traveled to and, for most people, probably will never return to. They are also objects that can carry memories of pleasant experiences from the past.

SOUVENIR S H O P: AZ

Begin your explorations by shooting the storefront window of a typical shop offering a range of souvenirs. Post the image and write an analysis of each souvenir:

What does each reference?
Each souvenir obviously represents some aspect of Prague that is perceived as valuable to a tourist's memory of this place.

There are magnets which reference a refrigerator, a family perhaps, a kitchen, and scenic views of Prague which are not represented as photographic images and are therefore surreal.

Big Baby Jesus: No, not Old Dirty Bastard, but the Infant Jesus of Prague whose fashionable attire lures tourists into believing. Figurines of this character are reproduced in an array of sizes and represent an anomaly particular to Prague, religion, decoration, adoration and humor.

Old Town Buildings: Minis of the astronomical clock and the Hrad remind me of the model of Cesky Krumlov that left a lot to be desired. These buildings reference the attractions of Prague that are the most well known to tourists.

Clock: The clock doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Prague except for the decoration on the face which again depicts a surreal scene from postcard Prague, featuring the Karlov Most and Hrad in the distance.

Plates: The scenes depicted on the plates and the clock reference the buildings and the city, but also remind those who look at it of how the feelings and memories attached to these scenes.

Crystal: The many figures and pieces of crystal reference the long tradition of Bohemian crystal and reference precision and craft through their material but not necessarily through the literal figures.

Who crafted or manufactured them?

It is pretty obvious that these souvenirs are not handmade. By the shiny, newness of them all and the way they are carefully crammed into this window, they are not being displayed in a way that shows how unique and irreplaceable they are. I am not sure if these souvenirs came from China or some other mecca of mass-production, but the sheer abundance of them and the rest of the merchandise in the store lead me to believe they were far from handmade and one-of-a-kind.

What properties does each souvenir possess that would make it attractive to tourists?

As mentioned previously, some of these souvenirs are simply depicting typical (yet still beautiful) scenes from Prague, like the magnets, clock, and plates. These objects might attract tourists because of the view of the city shows their favorite building, points out one of the highlights, serves as part of a collection they have started, or is just a random gift for someone else who might want to see some of Prague.

Other souvenirs are representing something very specific to this place, like a replica that one can take home and display but serves no real function. The Infant of Prague figurines and the miniature buildings of the Astronomical Clock are examples of this which is also what may make them attractive.

The crystal itself is beautiful and may attract a collector or a person interested having a nice(r) souvenir that looks a little more
sophisticated.

What forces are at play that make one souvenir more special than another?

Placement and lighting within a store window or interior are important factors that can make something more or less special. Also the frequency that the souvenir appears in the store or in other similar stores is important in making the buyer feel like they are justified in making the purchase. Also the personal experience that the buyer has with the image or reference to Prague made through the souvenir draws them to the object initially. One might not want a Big Baby Jesus unless they had a special enlightening with him or knows someone else who did.
The atmosphere, personnel, and music in the store also influence
what a person picks up as a souvenir as well as who the souvenir will eventually belong to. It's size, weight and cost also influence the specialness of souvenirs.

Storefront

At first glance, the Elf Market appeared to value their stock of liquor over other types of souvenirs, but upon closer inspection, I found that the storefront boasted a large variety of souvenirs presented in a rather random, illogical way. This particular shop emphasized its selection of absinthe but also advertised figures of the Infant Jesus, t-shirts of the Mole cartoon character, models of the Astronomical Clock, and the more traditional types of souvenirs: spoons, thimbles, mugs, t-shirts, patches and keychains. The only cliche artifact missing from this storefront were postcards! The majority of the items appeared to be mass-produced, with only a few hand-painted exceptions.

Most of the cliche items mentioned above seem to reference the experience of simply BEING here in Prague. To me they communicate the message "I was there" and, while they may address the whole city in their portrayal of major sights and landmarks, they fail to capture individual experiences specific to one person's journey. Some of the t-shirts and glassware might be useful reminders of a museum the tourist visited or a type of beer they found particularly enjoyable. As is the case with the glassware, the mugs become more personal because the buyer purhcases the souvenir with the intention of using the item on a regular basis in his or her daily routine. Other items, like the Baby Jesus figurines, are quirky and specific to Prague, while the variety of other dolls seem to borrow their style from other Eastern European regions.

The most interesting of these souvenirs, to me, is the outrageous selection of absinthe. Particularly appealing to American tourists, who are legally unable to consume or purchase this type of liquor, the store makes certain that the shopper can buy exactly the bottle they want. The bottles are packaged in differently styled bottles of varied shapes and sizes. There are bottles with modern labels and packaging, that evoke feelings of crazy partying in Europe, contrasted heavily by packaging intended to look older, distressed, and, perhaps to the tourist, more authentic. With the exception of the absinthe collection, this store appeared to value the quantity of types of souvenirs over the variation within each type of souvenir.

As a tourist I'm not sure that many of these objects would appeal to me. I prefer souvenirs that are either quirky and unique or that are functional, not merely reminders that I saw a certain city. The appeal to other tourists might be the over-generalized portrayal of Prague. Travelers who cannot enjoy the same extended stay that we are privileged to might have to rush their souvenir shopping and would, in that case, look for souvenirs that are able to sum up their experience by visually reminding them of their trip through images of a few key sights or attractions. I think the challenge with this project will be addressing the experience of the average tourist in a way that would be both appealing to us as designers and appropriate to the way that tourists experience the city.

Czech Marionettes

The AMI Marionettes Shop sells hand-crafted marionettes. Prague marionette souvenirs appear to be very popular. I found several sites selling antique and modern puppets as well though, including this one named Waterman, made in the 1970s. And what good would marionettes be without theatrical productions? Check out this elaborate set from Krásny nadhasic aneb Pozár Národního divadla*, a production from the Naivnî divadlo Liberec.

*no I don't know what that means

Souvenir Project

Souvenirs , a photoset on Flickr from Michael Hughes, is clever, sometimes brilliant. A great catalog of souvenir types.