The World of Objects international housing exhibition, Jablonec 1972

After its first edition in 1969, the World of Objects exhibition presented its second edition in 1972 at the Jablonec Exhibition Centre. The exhibition series had been launched during a period of heightened state attention to the production and quality of consumer goods, which had followed the 1968 suppression of the Prague Spring. Focussing on housing issues, the second edition featured displays of furnishing ideas and housing concepts. With participants including Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, East Germany, and the USSR, this international exhibition looked at the potential future of everyday life, the environment, the neighbourhood, public facilities and services, home furnishings, and everyday objects. In addition to physical items, there were also plans and conceptual designs on display.
The exhibition was accompanied by an international conference in Liberec, attended by designers and representatives from various socialist countries, including Roman Terlikowski (Poland) and Hana Stašková (Czechoslovakia). The conference covered a wide range of topics, from the immediate concerns of everyday life to more utopian perspectives on the future. For example, Alexander Ryabushin presented his concept of ‘domestic theatre’.
The third exhibition, held in 1975, focussed on ‘The Child and His World’. This aligned well with the government’s desire for population growth in the 1970s. The fourth and final World of Objects exhibition was held in 1978, exploring the topic of leisure. The exhibits were largely focussed on sports equipment, but also addressed a range of other activities, including DIY projects and gardening.