The Brno exhibition tracks the fates of Baťa's cities around the world

Brno - The fates of cities developed or directly founded by entrepreneur Tomáš Baťa around the world are showcased in an exhibition at the House of Arts in Brno. Baťa's shoe empire encompassed dozens of cities, and the exhibition closely follows the fates of three of them - East Tilbury in Britain, Batanagar in India, and Möhlin in Switzerland. There is also information about Baťa's Zlín, where the exhibition will move in the autumn. The architectural design of the exhibition significantly utilizes shoeboxes.
     Baťa often placed production in countries where he wanted to sell shoes to avoid import duties. "Essentially, he was looking for an ideal city in the world, for example, in terms of location and connection to transport routes,” stated one of the curators, Rostislav Koryčánek. Production halls, houses for workers, and other buildings were created according to a unified architectural and urban plan, adapted to local conditions.
     The exhibition brings closer the construction of factory complexes and their further fates after shoe production ended. For example, in the British East Tilbury, shoe production stopped in 2005, and locals reminisce about the times of Baťa's prosperity. The complex is likely to transform into a residential area due to its proximity to London. In Batanagar, a new investor is converting Baťa’s town into living and shopping spaces. "In Möhlin, a manufacturer of weaving machines purchased the complex and moved its production there, and it even plans to expand it," said curator Markéta Březovská.
     The exhibition also notes the precise organization of Baťa's enterprise and his social engineering efforts to create a "new man," an efficient and satisfied employee. On one hand, Baťa, as an employer, provided significant social benefits to his people and cared for their education and development; on the other hand, he demanded discipline and imposed strict control.
     The exhibition titled Baťa's Cities was created thanks to an international research project by the Bauhaus Foundation in Dessau, Germany, where it premiered. After a reprise in Basel, it moved to Brno, with a plan to arrive in Zlín in the autumn, where Baťa's business began.