Nový Bor, CZ

Nový Bor, CZ

Friday, 12. October 2012

IGS, 11th International Glass Symposium. Activity, fun – it’s absolutely incredible what the Czechs have managed to put together. Artists have come from all over the world and their designs were made into actual pieces by various glass making teams in the studios and glass companies of Nový Bor. The teams produced piece after piece; neither the size nor the detail of the some of the designs were a problem for them. They worked from 6am till 4pm and made everything possible out of glass: human and horse heads, barbed wire fencing, faces made out of fruit, jewellery and much, much more; absolutely crazy!

On Friday evening the Symposium was officially opened with a gigantic firework display. After work on Saturday evening the ‘glass mayhem’ continued in a restaurant in Ajeto, where everyone could make anything they liked out of glass. All these fun pieces and creatures were joined together on a big, hot plate of glass and taken to the museum to show at the next Symposium. The next stage of the mayhem was the official presentation of the glass angel. This is a 5 metre high glass sculpture which is now situated on a roundabout in Nový Bor, and was designed by Hans van Benten, our flat mate at Pacinek’s. After the presentation, there were all-round celebrations and although some only managed to catch an hour’s sleep, they were back at work at 6am. The best thing about the Symposium was the dynamic, as there was a very open and welcoming atmosphere. That’s how, while everyone was working, we had a chance to chat with glass makers and designers and make some interesting contacts. This combination of glass making, partying and sleeping came to an end on Sunday with the opening of an exhibition of the finished pieces in the Glass museum in Nový Bor. On this day we had an opportunity to make glass, as the furnace was available for some time.  Strangely enough we both produced two sculptures with very similar faces. Here we had seen glass being used a lot as a moulding material for sculptures, but we had never before used it in this way ourselves. From now on, under the heading ’Glass’ on our website, you will be able to see pieces that we have made on our journey. The next International Glass Symposium will take place in Nový Bor in three years’ time and we’ll definitely be back then.

We left Lindava on Tuesday and moved on to Nový Bor where we have the chance to assist at the local glass school until Friday.