The Director of the 26th International Biennial of Graphic Design Brno 2014 has nominated the International Jury as follows: Maki Suzuki (representing studio Åbäke (GB)The first time Francesco Spampinato heard the word Åbäke dates back to 2002, associated with electronic music label Kitsuné, which is also a quintessential parisienne fashion brand. In fact Kitsuné is just one galaxy – collateral and not even representative – of the Åbäke universe, a London-based design studio behind which lurk Patrick Lacey, Benjamin Reichen, Kajsa Ståhl and Maki Suzuki. Active since 2000, the Royal College of Art alumni count clients like the British Council and the Serpentine Gallery, and collaborations with fashion designers such as Hussein Chalayan and Maison Martin Margiela, artists such as Ryan Gander, Johanna Billing and Martino Gamper, and bands such as Air and Daft Punk.

As the term Åbäke suggests, however, the Swedish word for a large and cumbersome object, Francesco suspects that the group supports the burden of design on commission only to learn rules and conventions that it is happy to deconstruct at other times. Åbäke, indeed, is also responsible for meta-design projects, independent, transdisciplinary, strictly collective and often participatory: the dialogical digital platform for architecture Sexymachinery (2000–2008), the relational culinary events of Trattoria (2003), the publishing project Dent-De-Leone (2009), the propaganda for the imaginary Victoria & Alferd Museum (2010), and the spy agency Åffice Suzuki (2010).

For Åbäke constantly attracts the attention of the art world: most of its projects do not certainly meet criteria of functionality, but raise questions about how design conveys the forms of transmission of culture. Publications, curatorship, talks and workshops, indeed, are integral part of their activities. So when Spampinato invites the group to be part of his book on art collectives, Åbäke agrees to contribute if Francesco writes in exchange this biography, inserting himself, “so it isn't authorless,” in third person, putting thereby in crisis the role of the critic and the conditions under which he normally associates intellectual values to cultural phenomena. ), Radana Lencová (CZ)Studied at the VŠUP Prague (1994–2000) and in the school’s doctorate programme (2002–2005). She is a graphic designer specializing in art experiments combining type, light and dance (Metamorphosis of Waste – Transformation of the Soul project). Her current work involves book design and free calligraphy (The Line of Breath project). She has received several awards, for example, the Alfons Mucha Prize; the Brno Biennale Prize (1998); the Most Beautiful Czech Book prize, and others. , Barbara Steiner (AT)Barbara Steiner is curator, editor and author with an emphasis on politics of representation, institutional critique/criticality, architecture, and display. From 2001 to 2011, Steiner was Director of the Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst Leipzig. There, she also initiated the annual art prize INFORM, an accolade presented to graphic designers, who develop a practise within the context of graphic design and art. From May 2012 to May 2013 Steiner headed Europe (to the power of) n, a transnational project, which took place in eleven cities in and outside the European Union. After, she was curator in residence at Castrum Peregrini in Amsterdam. Within the scope of her residency she drew attention to the relation of art and graphic design in particular consideration of their social and economic entanglements. .

Jan Press, director of the Moravian Gallery in Brno and of the Brno Biennial, Tomáš Celizna, Adam Macháček and Radim Peško, external curators of this Biennial, and Marta Sylvestrová, head of the Graphic Design Department of the Moravian Gallery in Brno, were also present at the jury deliberations.

The International Jury consisting of three members commenced its deliberations on Wednesday, 18 June 2014 at 9:30 am. Barbara Steiner was elected as the chair of the Jury. The jury completed its deliberations on Wednesday, June 18, 2012 at 8:30 pm.

The International Exhibition comprises a total of ca. 400 exhibits by 226 designers and creative teams from 24 countries. The International Jury examined the works on display at the Museum of Applied Arts of the Moravian Gallery in Brno, Czech Republic. The highest quantity of works were submitted from the Czech Republic and The Netherlands (39 designers and creative teams), Germany (32) and Switzerland (28).

Having thoroughly examined and discussed all the submitted works the Jury awarded the prizes based on their expert assessment of artistic and functional qualities of the exhibited works.

Grand Prix of the Brno Biennial 2014 – The Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic Award

not awarded

This year’s subject of the Biennial is school/education, and the main competition features exclusively students work. The Jury members responded in their criteria to this situation by questioning the nature of the awards, i.e. that the Grand Prix is the consecration of an outstanding design position, a rich body of work. In the opinion of the Jury, the Grand Prix honours the designers’ achievements in a long-term perspective, while with student’s work future achievements are in the focus. Therefore, the Jury decided not to award the Grand Prix of the Brno Biennial 2014.

The Mayor of the City of Brno Award

Daisuke Kashiwa (JP)

The prize goes to Daisuke Kashiwa for an outstanding total work of a series of books containing over 1,000 paintings and drawings he executed over his studies which were also used for a series of posters.

The Czech Centres Award

Pavla Nešverová (CZ)

The Czech Centres Award goes to Pavla Nešverová from the Czech Republic. The jury was attracted by her interdisciplinary approach that meanders between music, visual arts and design.

The International Jury Award

Emma Olanders (SE)

The international Jury Award goes to Emma Olanders from Sweden. Olanders submitted seven catalogues/books and two short videos. The jury was impressed by her interest in setting various visual languages/aesthetics in relation to one another (from commercials, ads, fanzines, campaigns, through the branding languages of cosmetics to Wikileaks and arts).

Honorary mention of the International Jury

Werkplaats Typografie, Arnhem (NL)

The honorary prize goes to the Werkplaats Typografie through the works of Anna Haas, Corina Neuenschwander, Goda Budvytytė a Ines Cox.

Brno Biennial Award for an outstanding contribution to graphic design

Aleš Najbrt (CZ)

Brno Biennial Award for an outstanding contribution to graphic design awards Organizing Committee of the Brno Biennial since 2008. The first laureate was Prof. Jan Solpera, in 2010 was awarded prof. Rostislav Vaněk. In 2012 received the Award Zdeněk Ziegler and this year laureate of the Award is Aleš Najbrt.