GLASS IN THE LEADING ROLE
The story of the exhibition Glass in the Leading Role began to unfold several years ago. I have been working not only as a curator, but above all as a glass artist on the art scene. Thanks to this, both views are closely intertwined, on the basis of which I face not only a number of questions from the field of curatorship but above all challenges faced by every emerging artist who is trying to find his or her own path and a distinctive artistic expression. It was precisely Czech glass artists who, in the past, despite all the obstacles of the times they lived in, managed to amaze the world with their creative abilities, respect for tradition and for the development of technology.
Our generation was born into a free world in which there are basically no limits. We grew up in a democratic society, where everyone can search for their direction and career, but also explore their limits. What is important is the freedom to express yourself artistically and the opportunity to create as everyone feels fit. Art is a process that is constantly evolving and changing. In the beginning, however, there were questions that started all this – how is the original work of Czech glass artists under thirty-five changing? What influences their work and approach in the field of original glassmaking?
The current Czech glassmaking scene features several exceptional personalities worth pointing out. The aim is not to introduce a large number of authors, but to draw attention to authors with an original approach to glassmaking. Therefore, it was necessary to set criteria for the selection of glass artists in advance. Among the main selection criteria was the participation in the Stanislav Libenský Award international glass competition between 2009 and 2019, the under-35 age limit; other criteria included the use of glass as the primary material of artistic expression, searching for new ways and means of expression in the areas of individual art glassmaking, experimenting with combining different materials or technologies, etc. Already the selection of the narrowest circle was subjective, but honest – based on the acquired theoretical and practical experience in the field.
Further steps already led to the personal familiarization with the individual glass artists. I was lucky because everyone I approached accepted me warmly, with a friendly smile, sharing their experiences, opinions and thoughts with me. The result of these interviews was the book Glass in the Leading Role (Ptáčková, 2020), which not only provided statements on their approach and work, but also captured their authentic, often unique opinions.
The identically titled exhibition Glass in the Leading Role therefore presents the work of ten contemporary Czech glass artists. They are Irena Czepcová (*1986), Zdeňka Fusková (*1994), Adam Hejduk (*1992), Tomáš Krejčí (*1994), Zuzana Kubelková (*1987), Jakub Petr (*1987), Dagmar Petrovická (*1987) , Vendulka Prchalová (*1989), Tomáš Prokop (*1992), and Barbora Štefánková (*1991). One of the most important aspects of their work is the process itself, which refers to an experimental approach. Discovering and exploring the limits of both the material and technological limits, as well as personal ones, is also a valuable contribution.
During the implementation of the project, I had the opportunity to meet the most prominent personalities in the field of the contemporary Czech glass scene, who have great potential and an opportunity to influence the further direction of original Czech glassmaking. Their passion for such unique material as glass, their relentless diligence, enthusiasm to experiment and desire to discover open up new possibilities and paths for them.
Miroslava Ptáčková
