CGD

If there is one discipline in Czechia which has maintained a high level of prestige, it is certainly glass. But the more interest a field generates, the harsher the competition, and there are many top-notch glass designers working in Czechia, so it is difficult to get a breakthrough. But Kateřina Handlová did it. Her unique aesthetic sense made her stand out already during her studies at Prague’s Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design, and so it was no surprise that the famous Rony Plesl chose her as his successor for the creative directorship of Rückl glassworks. Kateřina stepped up to this difficult challenge, and she succeeded. The design of her recent vase collection entitled Unreality is spectral, almost supernatural.

Kateřina approaches glass as a material which knows no limits. She has produced vases which seem untraditionally light while remaining immensely detailed. The cutting method is expressive of human effervescence, and it is this ability to project the deeper questions of human existence that make Kateřina a truly remarkable designer. This is obvious not only from the limited-edition vases made for “her” glassworks, but also in this year’s design of a pendant light made for Bomma. Here too, her ingenious but subtle details give the relatively formal lighting design another layer of meaning, making a functional light into an artistic artefact.

She also used her ability to empathize and her sense for philosophical reflection for one project which did not quite fit her established practice – the design of medals for the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. And again, she succeeded in the challenging task of designing a product with unique specifics and limits. Her winning medal design was perfect for the starry moment as well as providing a dignified souvenir for the winners. Thanks to her strong inner intuition, talent and ability to transcend established patterns, Kateřina Handlová has become a moving force of Czech glass.

Veronika Pařízková