On 15 September 2012, the European Glass Context 2012 was officially launched on the island of Bornholm. About 100 artists from 30 countries participated in the Biennial and introduced their work in two categories. The exhibition European Glass Art at Bornholm’s Art Museum presented works by professional, established artists within the field of glass art while the exhibition New Talent at Grønbechs Gaard showed works by professional emerging glass artists under the age of 35. 

European Glass Context 2012 appointed one National Commissioner in each of the 30 participating European countries. The curator of the Czech presentation was, as well as in 2010 at the biennial symposium of contemporary ceramics, Mgr. Milan Hlaveš, Ph.D., the Head of  Glass, Ceramics and Porcelain Collection at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague.

The exhibition was opened by Lars Kærulf Møller, the Head of Bornholm Art Museum, and project leader Susanne Joeker Johnsen. Lene Dammand Lund, Design and Conservation’s Rector from The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, handed over the prize to this year’s awarded artists. The Slovak artist Oliver Leššo was awarded in the category of established artists, Markus Kayser from Great Britain won among the young artists. Although this year didn’t bring any award to the Czech artists, their work didn’t stay unnoticed in the European context.

Work by Oliver Leššo

The Czech Republic was represented by Martin Hlubuček and Jaroslav Koléšek in the category of established artists, and Josef Divín and Ladislav Průcha in the category for emerging artists.

Martin Hlubuček: Gabro

The Biennial is part of a wider symposium of contemporary glass and ceramics art on Bornholm. As part of the symposium exhibitions, art workshops, master classes, lectures and conferences are organized. Since 2006 every second year the ceramics and glass exhibition takes turn. The symposium also cooperates with another Bornholm project Artists in Residence which provides the artists with six-weeks in a creative residence on the island.

Work by Ladislav Průcha

On the island of Bornholm there is Bornholm Centre for Glass and Ceramics of the Danish Design School which is one of the co-organizers of European Glass Context. Besides museums and art institutions, the Business Centre Bornholm also belongs to the co-organizers.

Jaroslav Koléšek: Circulation Error

Barbora Stejskalová, the Cultural Attaché of the Czech Embassy in Copenhagen, and Pavla Rossini, curator and consultant of the Czech Embassy in the field of ceramics and glass, accepted the invitation to the official opening of the European Glass Context 2012. They met Lars Kærulf Møller, the Head of Bornholm Art Museum, and Dagmar Brendstrup, the Head of the Glass Museum in Ebeltoft, and talked about possible future cooperation. Afterwards they visited one of the 17 glass workshops – Baltic Sea Glass on Bornholm, which, besides production and product sale, organizes exhibitions, art workshops and interdisciplinary projects.

Work by Baltic Sea Glass