D Excursion 2: Northern Bohemia
Dušan Drbohlav
Friday, April 21 8:00 am – 7:00 pm
Glass production has been a very important industry but also “art” in Bohemia for a long time. It is something that the Czech nation can be proud of. Bohemian glass, chiefly referred to as Bohemia crystal, is glass produced in the regions of Bohemia and Silesia, now parts of Czechia. It has a centuries long history of being internationally recognized for its high quality, craftsmanship, beauty and often innovative designs. Hand-cut, engraved, blown and painted decorative glassware ranging from champagne flutes to enormous chandeliers, ornaments, figurines and other glass items are among the best known Czech exports and immensely popular as tourist souvenirs. Czechia is home to numerous glass studios and schools attended by local and foreign students.
There will be three stops at different places which are, nevertheless, somehow related to the „glass culture“.
1) Ajeto glass making workshops
The Ajeto glassworks with its short history is a relative newcomer to the heartland of the Bohemian glassmaking region famed and renowned for many past centuries. Right from its very beginnings, Ajeto is a place from where exquisite glass creations reach out to the world of art and design.
The phenomenon of Ajeto unique style and international renown, was conjured up by the unique trio of Bořek Šípek, Petr Novotný and Libor Fafala, during the era before the veil Iron Curtain was torn down in the Czechoslovak Velvet revolution of 1989. In 1994, the Ajeto glassworks has moved to its current location – Lindava, a humble little village tucked-away in the hilly landscape of the Northern Bohemian forests. Lindava with about 450 inhabitants, has since moved on from a place barely known by the average Czech native, to become a location visited and loved by many a renowned glass craftsmen and artists, as well as celebrities from other walks of life, designers, architects, fashion designers, performing artists, musicians, actors, film directors – masters of trades and arts of all kinds. The dream of Ajeto only truly materialized when its current Lindava incarnation was raised out of the ruins of a once famous German textiles factory that fell into disuse during the long reign of Czechoslovak totalitarian establishment. The factory came back to life during autumn of 1994, architected in Borek Šípek’s unique style. Through Ajeto the little place Lindava has become a mixing-pot of world cultures, nations, arts and crafts, its repute reaching far beyond the borders of the Czech Republic, beyond Europe. It is a place sought by cream of the world glass art crop.
Borek Šípek as the art-director has been challenging the glass craftsmen and technologists with his ideas since the very birth of Ajeto. The realization of Borek’s designs has only been possible thanks to Petr Novotny’s world-renown hot-glass artisanship (Petr Novotny is ranked among three world celebrities in the field of glass art craft by experts) and Libor Fafala’s unequaled skills in all facets of glass manufacture technology. The relentless push for more intricate, complex and awe-inspiring designs continues to drive the glassmaking skills and technologies to an art-form of its own. Ajeto has grown to become a place where the ideas of Bořek Šípek as well as many other designers and artists come to life.
2) A visit to a two-hundred year old family cottage at a small village of Kytlice. It is situated in the heart of the Lužické hory.
This is an example of an old house where, in history, small glass work was in operation. The village suffered from expulsion of the original German population after the Second World War. During the communist era, its further development was possible only due to artists coming mainly from Prague who fell in love with the beauty of the local landscape. They started using old cottages as their second homes during weekends. Later, other people from Prague but also other cities and regions followed them.
3) Museum of Glass and Jewelry in Jablonec nad Nisou
Promoted by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic. Established in 1904. The only museum specializing in glass and costume jewelry in Czechia. It was awarded the 1st prize in the Gloria Musaealis competition for the Best Museum Initiation in 2004 and was also nominated for the European Museum competition in 2005. The Museum of Glass and Jewelry exhibits its collections in two architecturally interesting buildings. The main building presents the best exhibits from large collection sets of glass, costume jewelry, coins, medals and plaques. The headquarters and a library specialized in historic and current documents on glass and costume jewelry industry, art glass and jewelry are also placed here.