Building on a tradition established by its founder Josef Kaplický, and continued by Stanislav Libenský and Vladimír Kopecký among others, the Studio of Glass emphasises a rigorous intellectual approach to practice. In guiding students through glasswork's labyrinthine trends and computer simulations, the goal is to avoid the pitfalls of cheap aestheticism and decorativism.

The Studio of Glass at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design wants to keep the best of the tradition established by professors Kaplický, Libenský and Kopecký.

Glass is a unique and lively material with a significant impact of coincidence and surprise. This is one of the reasons why the work in the glass studio oscillates between fine art and design. This balance should be natural, without attempts to establish any categories.

Crucial are the ideological foundations of our work, which do not distinguish between big and small or fine and applied art. This strong ideological concept should guide students through the labyrinth of trends and computer simulations, and help them avoid cheap aesthetism and decorativism, which are often tempting for artists working with such a magic material as glass.
Glass design is very close to architecture. It requires a monumental approach even in the smallest forms, accompanied by a search for light.
For example, a glass is an architectonic and sculpturing challenge equal to fine sculpture. Its important features are the inner strength and the tension in the silhouette which conveys all emotions, professionalism and experience of the author, similarly as a drawing. Therefore, drawing is one of the pillars of the work in the glass studio.
The studio should follow the path of creative design, with overlap in the conceptual approach which serves as a basis for any other artistic discipline.
Examples to be followed are artists like Jan Kotěra, Pavel Janák, Josef Kaplický, Isamu Noguchi, Gio Ponti, Etore Sottsass.
The studio should preserve its charisma and pride, without separatist and pseudo-artistic tendencies that could result in an overly academic and eclectic approach.  
The outputs of the studio should be far more varied than they have been so far and should be oriented towards real life, with all it involves. Our graduates must be able to create good fine art and, at the same time, to convince producers anywhere in the world of the strength and meaningfulness of their designs, with humility and pride at the same time. 

Head of the Studio

prof. ak soch. Rony Plesl
(*1965, Jablonec nad Nisou)
1984-1990 Academy of Art, Architecture and Design, metal and jewelry (V. K. Novák) and glass (J. Harcuba)
1990 stay at the La villa Arson school, Nice (France)
1997 stay at the Tittot company, Taipei (Taiwan)
He worked as a teacher at secondary schools of applied arts (Jablonec nad Nisou, Železný Brod) and than as a designer with Ajeto, B. A. G. Vsetín and Barovier & Toso (Itálie) workshops and with the Sahm company in the Czech Republic. In 2002, he founded his own brand  Rony Plesl, s. r. o, and in 2005 the Rony Plesl Studio. Since 2009 he has been the chief designer of Sahm (Germany). He also cooperates with glassworks Moser, Ajeto and Květná. He is designer for Denizli by Pasabahce (Turkey) and Preciosa. He also creates fine sculptures and drawings, architecture designs (glass and stone features in the Czech Republic and abroad) and interior designs.
www.ronyplesl.com

Assistant Professor

MgA. Klára Horáčková (*1980, Prague)
2002-2006 Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague, glass (Vladimír Kopecký)
2003 Academy of Art, Architecture and Design in Prague, sculpture (Jiří Beránek)
2004 Wetterhof School of Art and design, Häme Polytechnic, Hameenlinna, Finland, glass
Works also as a freelance artist and designer.
www.klarahorackova.com

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CONTACTS

ADDRESS
nám. J. Palacha 80, 116 93 Praha 1
2nd floor – room 213

GENERAL CONTACTS
251 098 251
602 201 262

HEAD OF THE STUDIO
prof. ak. soch. Rony Plesl (sabbatical)
rony.plesl@umprum.cz

MgA. Klára Horáčková
klara.horackova@umprum.cz

ASSISTANTS
MgA. David Černý
david.cerny@umprum.cz

Bc. Ján Gajdušek
jan.gajdusek@umprum.cz


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