18. 4. – 17. 6. 2014 Ondřej Strnadel was born in 1979 in Valašské Meziříčí, his home town. He studied glass art at the Applied Arts High School in Valašské Meziříčí. After graduation, he became a student of teaching at the Palacký University in Olomouc. Soon, he abandoned the University and moved to Zlín to study there at the Industrial design studio of professor and sculptor Pavel Škarka at the Tomáš Baťa University, Department of Multimedia Communication. In 2000, Ondřej Strnadel started teaching glassblowing at the Applied Arts High School in Valašské Meziříčí and the Tomáš Baťa University, Department of Multimedia Communication. He has manufactured numerous glass objects for renowned Czech glass artists, such as Vladimír Kopecký and Jiří Šuhájek.
Ondřej Strnadel creates his objects at glassworks, where the speed of cooling of the molten glass dictates the tempo of work and defines the final shape. His objects are organic, mainly thanks to the process of blowing and forming of the molten glass “by hand” with the help of traditional wooden tools which leave their mark, some more, some less visibly, on the final product. We can demonstrate this process at a glass forming spoon, which Strnadel also uses as a mould. He blows into it or impresses it directly into the glass.
A bowl, which is Strnadel´s most favourite art object, can be both a “mere” artefact and a utility piece. It is a double faced form; it keeps changing based on the angle of view. The author himself says that it is “where things happen”. The mostly thick glass objects are given colour by applying little chips of coloured glass, sometimes in several layers, further layering of glass, and final blowing. The process of blowing helps spread the chips wider apart and faint the colour shades. Ondřej Strnadel often illuminates his coloured objects which he further finishes by cutting and polishing to reveal the depth of colours.
“I draw inspiration from the everyday life … “ read more from the author here.
The objects by Ondřej Strnadel, a designer and glass-artist, will catch your eye even though they don´t ask for attention bluntly with the common “look at me” message. Ondřej Strnadel shapes reality rather creatively and often uses hyperbole and humour – his art is sober and civil and there are no grand gestures necessary.
Strnadel´s perception of aesthetic is neither about universe beyond the universe nor the big artist´s ego. It is well rooted in the every day’s reality, which he shapes – without the need to deform or twist it – to give it the fourth dimension, the essence which makes art into more than mere exact science.
Ondřej Strnadel´s ability to both design and create may be the reason for his art being so “human“ and “earthly”. Maybe it is why his objects have a soul. Thanks to his imagination and craftsmanship, we can watch the everyday rather boring human existence change into THE REALITY, the mirror itself instead of the world behind it.
PhDr. Petr Nový
Head curator, Museum of glass and custom jewellery, Jablonec nad Nisou, Curator, Galerie Kuzebauch