Exhibition to celebrate the life and work of Jaroslava Brychtová

“Celebrate!” an exhibition at the Heller Gallery, endeavors to do just that, celebrating the life and career of Czech artist and sculptor Jaroslava Brychtová, who will turn ninety on July 18.

Brychtová formed a nearly 50-year partnership with her late husband Stanislav Libenský that redefined contemporary glass work, making them two of the most prominent glass artists of the 20th century. Together, they explored the expressive possibilities of glass, which can be found in its inherent fragility, reflectivity, color, size, and transparency. Their large conceptual pieces, which succeeded in being both thought provoking and beautiful, helped to elevate glasswork from purely decorative to the level of fine art.

Just as the pair has influenced several generations of glassmakers, Libenský and Brychtová were inspired by Czech Cubism, an avant-garde art movement that swept Prague in the years before the World War I. Based on the principles of Cubism, which rejected the idea that art should be a perfect reflection of the natural world, Czech Cubism focused on creating a distinct, parallel vision of reality through the abstract.

The couple’s glass abstractions were crafted using a mold-melting technique. Libenský would sketch the image, which Brychtová then translated into plaster casts that molded the molten glass. Once it cooled, they reworked the surfaces together. Casting the glass transformed it into a sculptural medium capable of being carved, a technique that has become synonymous with the modern glass movement. Since Libenský’s death in 2002, Brychtová has continued to create glass castings.

Their collaborations are housed in prestigious private collections and on display in more than 50 museums internationally, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Featuring select works from Libenský and Brychtová, “Celebrate!” will run through August 1. The Heller Gallery is currently operating on a summer schedule, open weekdays from 11am to 6pm (or by appointment).