Light and Colour in works by Libenský & Brychtová

The other day I was having a tutorial with students and one of them proposed application of stained glass in her project. She was introducing me to some illustrations representing works of art made of glass, when I noticed an absolutely stunning piece from Uměleckoprůmyslové museum in Prague. Though I visited Czech Republic couple of times and once even for art practice with group mates from Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts, I have never been to the mentioned museum. You can have a look at the website here.

After doing a research it was exciting to realise how many techniques and their mixtures are applied in creating glass objects, nevertheless the one that took my attention included the process of casting. I enjoyed the works by Jan Exar, Frantisek Vizner, Gizela Sabokova and others. I was enchanted by spacious coloured glass objects transcending the light. 

Jan Exnar
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Looking at CV's of some authors I realised that they were in the class at Academy of Applied Arts in Prague, atelier of Professor Stanislav Libenský (e.g. Gizela Sabokova). My interest went into studying works by him and his partner Jaroslava Brychtová. 

Gizela Sabokova
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Gizela Sabokova
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I wish I could see Libensky's and Brychtová's works live, but even on photographs they expose themselves to a viewer as something capturing and seductive. While having a spacious mass (some of them are about human size) they seem like if light obtains colour and by this their substance is formed.

Libensky & Brychtova, Green Eye of the Pyramid, 1922-23
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I believe there is something illusionistic in their works what one might find in holographic works from 70-ies, and this evolving phantasmic dimension is filled with colour. It appears here originated from the engagement of light and glass mass. Nevertheless, the works do seem to me like light paintings in space, glass loses the matter and becomes a coloured light drawing floating in the space of those white galleries. Here the difference in thickness of glass and thus different translucency levels allow the medium to engage with and so reveal the full power of light and its way through the dimensions. Here the new value of these objects is born.

Libensky & Brychtova, Arcus
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Libensky & Brychtova, Arcus I, 1990-99
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Here light becomes a medium which evokes new possibilities of the material it engages with. I do believe though that the strength of these works comes from a number of years of experimentation and practical learning of the technique. 

Stanislav Libensky with Red Pyramid
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I enjoyed looking at his drawings as well. Seems like they explore more the journey of light rather than mass or composition.

Libensky, Triangle in the Triangle, 1996
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Libensky, Impress of an Angel, 1996
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Seems to me that there is always a number of particular techniques working with every medium, e.g. glass casting used for creating these sculptures. Nevertheless, constant technique development and experiments lead to particular unconventionality even in works made of such an ancient material as glass. Moreover, this engagement with the work brings significant progress and development of the narrative.

I hope one day I'll have an opportunity to experience those works in museum or a gallery space and of course I don't forget about my small dream to explore glass as a medium.

Colour and Light in the Works by Mark Rothko

Yesterday I gave my first lecture in Chelsea College of Art and Design named 'Finding a Narrative in the Precedent'. It touched on the subject of methodology in research-based projects, and main idea was to proclaim the importance of practical exploration of the precedents in order to define the area of the interest for the future research.

Lecture Auditorium

A Slide from Lecture Presentation

In my lecture as well as in the tutorial earlier there was a notion brought up several times: light and colour in works by an American artist Mark Rothko. There is a great book about him called 'About Rothko' by Dore Ashton. I read it couple of times while writing up my thesis.

Book about Rothko
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His works fascinate me not only with their aesthetic side, but more with the notion they bring.
Firstly, I adore the power they project on the viewer. When I saw them alive in front of me in a room covered only by his paintings from the same series, I felt like I was absorbing colour, while very dark colours like visible ( visible because there are other colours behind those we see) plum, maroon, black and violets felt as if they were glowing with light. Standing in front of one closely brought a feeling of being 'inside' of the painting, behind its picture plane. It was adorable to realise that the engagement with the depicted on a surface seemed like a spatial experience. These works were on display at Tate Modern and I recommend to certainly come and have a look if they are still there.

Black on Maroon, 1958
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Another point I mentioned in my lecture was the influence of particular technique and approach to work onto the nature of experiences while perceiving it. Every object or space that has imaginative value also has practical means of being created, and I believe that finding area of interest and forming research question happens through practical work. Thus we can gain a better understanding of the narrative it suggests.  Mark Rothko was into a complicated method of work, which included special technique of work with traditional oil paint by mixing it with turpentine, thinly layering it and and polishing every layer in order to achieve this magnetic effect. 

Mark Rothko with One of His Works
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Here is the video about his technique:

Though I like the works which were displayed in London, there are other more joyful and saturated paintings that would be wonderful to experience. I wish one day I have a chance to travel to New York and contemplate his luminous and vibrant works in MoMA. Here is one of those I really want to see:

Untitled, Mark Rothko, 1968
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Rene Lalique Exquisite Glass

After looking at those magnetic pendants I got interested in ways of working with such medium as glass. There is a number of techniques and Rene Lalique is actually the one who was exploring a particular way of working with that material. I believe he created an distinct style of work reliable on the qualities of glass and experimentation with the medium in its actual production phase.

Lalique Serpent Vase circa 1924
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This particular vase is produced nowadays in red crystal and has the same design as the one almost a century ago as it is made using the blow molding, unlike the pieces made with traditional blowing technique, where shape and colour depend only on the master. Nevertheless, in this technique (as well as when using press molding) the mold had to be pulled away from the object, which while fulfils the need of mass production, restricts the design. In order to achieve a more exquisite and complicated shape, another technique cire perdue was used. This kinds of vases could be produced each unique, and still produced in this technique nowadays. Here is the video if you want to know more about cire perdue production phases:

Lalique The Bacchantes Vase (Cire Perdue) Since 1927
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Noticeable, that in his works this technique glass is so masterly done and it looks so exquisite that it turns to be the main accent even in the jewellery piece, and diamonds and pearls are to honour it.

Lalique Roses Brooch
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His works started from involving glass elements into his collections of Art Nouveau jewellery up to creating bigger pieces, e.g. perfume bottles and vases, excelling the powers of the material in it's spatial application in architectural elements. I really adore that the beauty of this pieces is revealed through practice: seek for innovation and experimentation with the material and its qualities.