🇨🇿 Tento článek si můžete přečíst i v češtině: Skleněný svět Martina Janeckého, kde se rodí bytosti ze skla
Stepping into Martin Janecký’s studio in Prague’s Lesser Town is like finding yourself in another world. In this spot, hidden in the garden of the Order of the Knights of Malta, historic Prague meets molten glass.
Martin Janecký is widely regarded as one of the leading contemporary glass sculptors of his generation. His journey took him from Nový Bor in the Czech Republic to South Africa, Sweden, the Netherlands, and ultimately to the United States, where he studied at the renowned Pilchuck Glass School under Richard Royal and William Morris. Today, he is a sought-after visiting artist and instructor at leading institutions, including the Corning Museum of Glass, Pilchuck Glass School, Penland School of Craft, and the University of Toyama. His work has been exhibited internationally, from New York and London to this year’s exhibition at the Venetian palaces Palazzo Mora and Palazzo Bembo.
He has fundamentally redefined what is possible with hot glass, and his work continues to inspire glass artists around the world. Yet he remains remarkably humble – he talks about the daily struggle with the material, the search for an authentic artistic voice, and the moment he realized that glass had become his language.
In his monograph he pays tribute to Czech illustrator and filmmaker Jiří Trnka. Why him?
“Jiří Trnka has fascinated me since I was a child. He frightened me—but in the most wonderful way. I’ve always admired his versatility, his dedication, and his uncompromising vision. Despite the times he lived in, he created a world that remained untouched by the darkness around him. It became a refuge for many people. For me, it saved my childhood,” says the artist.
We also talk about the latest chapter of his artistic journey. For the first time, he created a monumental sculpture intended for a public outdoor space—The Stargazer, now standing in front of Prague’s Fairmont Hotel. Because glass cannot withstand the thermal stresses of an outdoor environment, the sculpture was cast in bronze instead. It marks a new material, a new experience, and another step for an artist who, in his own words, is still discovering just how far his work can take him.
Read more about this extraordinary artist in the October edition of our MagicMag.
