Vlastimil Šenkýř

Vlastimil Šenkýř (born 1990) is a designer and artist working at the intersection of glass, jewelry, and ceramics, who systematically pushes the boundaries of materials through experimentation. A graduate of UMPRUM (Glass) and the Faculty of Design and Art in Pilsen (Ceramics; Metal and Jewelry Design), he has developed a distinctive process: he "encases" a hand-blown glass core with his own plexiglass contours, layering them with particles of sand or sugar. The resulting objects follow a geological logic—resembling sediments and rocks, yet shaped by a controlled creative process rather than millennia of time. In doing so, he intentionally blurs the line between the "natural" and the "artificial," raising questions about how we define the world when we are all made of the same elementary stardust. Šenkýř further accentuates his "artificial rocks" with additives like mica and metal oxides, working with the coarseness of contours that he leaves visible.

He is a laureate of the international Talente 2020 award (Munich), winner of the Czech Design Award 2023 (Sugar Vases collection), and has exhibited at events including Milan Design Week (RoPlastic Prize), MK&G messe in Hamburg, Designblok, and Czech Design Week. He teaches in Světlá nad Sázavou, has collaborated with the DECHEM studio, Berlin-based Radian, and the collectives KOMBO and Shakakree, and runs the brand Takavete with his partner. His work combines precise craftsmanship with conceptual material exploration to create objects of significant collectible value.