Smetana's bicentenary

Tomski&Polanski is the illustrator duoIlona Polanská and Lukáš Tomek. The authors define themselves as "four creative hands, bold colour palettes, human stories, humour and endless hours spent with the craft of drawing", which makes them one of the leading Czech illustrators. Their analogue and digital work can be seen in many forms – from commissions for major companies to socks, magazines, books, T-shirts and original café menus. Their posters often pay tribute to (not only) Czech personalities from the past and present including Václav Havel, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Hanzelka and Zikmund, but also Petr Pavel or Peter Sagan, Antonín Dvořák and, more recently, Bedřich Smetana.

What does Czech music and Smetana mean to us?

“We have been listening to Czech music since my childhood. My parents had Smetana's My Country on their records and we were fascinated by it even as little children. We also like other Czech classical music very much, both when we listen to it at home and especially at the concerts we regularly attend, such as the PKF – Prague Philharmonia. Smetana is also connected with our love for the town of Litomyšl, where we have spent many joyful moments with visual art and music, not only at the famous Smetana Litomyšl Festival. Czech music is world music and we firmly believe that its fame will continue to spread globally. Congratulations on the 200^thanniversary!”

Lukáš Tomek