CGD

The glass artist and designer Tomáš Kučera was born in Světlá nad Sázavou, but for someone born in one of the major hubs of glass production, he took a surprisingly long time warming up to glass. He was at first more focused on art and graphic design, and was interested in architectural design and theory. Tomáš began studying product design at Prague’s Scholastika, where he encountered glass towards the end of his studies. And this time, it blew him off his feet. He suddenly saw glass in a different light, no longer a traditional material, but rather one he could use effectively for decorative work. He found in it a medium which builds on architectural and artistic principles, and which is able to transcend the limits of form towards celebrating matter and its ability to contain light. He developed this approach further while studying at the glass studio of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.

Tomáš Kučera is among the most talented creators of his generation. He is currently active in the studio of Rony Plesl and partly focuses on his own free design work. His works have been acclaimed by both the expert and lay public. In 2021, he was awarded the Discovery of the Year award at the Czech Grand Design Awards, while his current nomination for the Discovery of the Year award is for his Vial collection made for the Květná 1794 glassworks. The nomination reflects his focused work with the medium of glass, his careful experimentation with materials (both in the technological as well as artistic sense) and in finding interesting (but in no way self-centered), subdued and stimulating forms in contemporary glassware. The minimalist Vial collection sees Kučera touching the archetypal shape of glassware and a carafe with lid, as if he were creating an ideal, classical form for containing crystal-clear water. It is coherent and lacks nothing.

Michaela Kádnerová