Shattering Illusions: Glass Rituals at Collect 2019

Glass may be considered to be a difficult and unforgiving material to work with, but artists throughout the years have proven that it is also incredibly versatile. With each work, a different process unfolds — from casting and blowing to cutting and flameworking — and getting to the final result is as much a performative ritual as it is a precise skill.

The exhibition Glass Rituals was a premiere for both the gallery and for all their participating artists at Collect. Peter Nový, Chief Curator of the Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou and Editor-in-chief of Glass & Ceramics magazine, selected four Czech artists and designers, both young and established, for this exhibition. Each artist emphasised the artistic possibilities of the medium with their personal techniques that were derived from long-standing traditions. Whether their focus is on light and the depth of space, the unique properties of given materials and their origin, creating delicate and complex forms or imbuing their works with spiritual qualities — the selected creators (Vladimíra Klumpar, Lada Semecká, Klára Horáčková and Eva Eisler) each showcased their specific techniques, and presented their own, authentic artistic testimony.

Ultimately, Galerie Kuzebauch provides a comprehensive picture of contemporary Czech studio-glass – and shatters the illusion that the (Czech) glass making world is male-dominated by displaying how women are often far more courageous and experimental in their pursuits than their male counterparts. 

Cover Photo: Lada Semecká, Flow V, 2015, Fused Glass, 56×78 cm. Photo: Stepanka Stein.