Czech studio glass has never been short of young outstanding talent and personalities. This is in part because of the country’s unique state educational structure that is unparalleled in the world. It is only in exceptional circumstances, however, that one of the promising students, who shine like comets within a short period of time at several group exhibitions or competitions, becomes a shining star. For this to happen talent on its own is not enough, just as, in life, it’s not enough to dream.
Zuzana Kubelková (*1987) was educated in glassmaking in North Bohemia. After her studies at the High School of Applied Arts for Glassmaking in Železný Brod, where she graduated from in glass pressing, she continued with her studies at the glass studio led by Dr. Ilja Bílek at J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. She also completed several internships abroad. Since 2007, she has been involved in various exhibition projects and actually received the first award for her work two years later. She has been successful at international Czech competitions, including the Ludwig Moser Prize (special merit award), the Stanislav Libenský Award (second and third prize), and most recently receiving first prize at Young Glass 2017 in the Danish town of Ebeltoft. In her creations we can find both design pieces and conceptual artworks – original, identifiable, her own.
A native of Strakonice, she perceives glass as a material that serves artists, in the same way that bricks and mortar serve builders. Nothing more, nothing less. It is the medium through which she tells her story in the time and space of the changing chemical romance. She creates dynamic glass, experiments, fuses it with other substances, analyses and examines it, just as a doctor examines a patient – rationally, but with empathy. She works with it as if she were conducting an interview, but without the niceties and courteous phrases. That is how the interactive sui generis artworks come into being, works which stimulate the emotions and incite interest without pandering to the audience. And this is an exceptional quality which is not at all common in contemporary art.
Rodačka ze Strakonic sklo vnímá jako materiál, jenž umělci slouží stejně jako staviteli malta a cihly. Nic víc, nic míň. Je médiem, jehož prostřednictvím vypráví své v čase i prostoru proměnlivé chemické romance. Tvoří dynamické sklo, experimentuje, fúzuje je s jinými látkami, analyzuje a zkoumá jako lékař pacienta – racionálně, ale s empatií. Pracuje s ním tak, jako by vedla rozhovor bez pozlátek a zdvořilostních frází. Vznikají tak interaktivní umělecká díla sui generis, jež vzbuzují emoce a provokují zájem bez toho, že by se divákovi podbízela. A to je výsostná hodnota, která v současném výtvarném umění vůbec není běžná.
PhDr. Petr Nový
hlavní kurátor Muzea skla a bižuterie v Jablonci nad Nisou
kurátor Galerie Kuzebauch
Projekt finančně podpořila Praha 6
