The William&Joseph Gallery is honored to present the works of Czech glass blowers Frydrych, Roubicek, Hlavicka, Stohanzl and Vasicek. These extraordinary artisans represent the depth of diversity and talent of modern Czech glass.

This very select group has been included in the permanent collection at The Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG) in Corning, New York. The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library had at one time been the only place to see this work.

When the Communist Party gained control of Czechoslovakia in 1948, painters, sculptors, and graphic artists were closely monitored, and ran the risk of persecution for creating non-approved abstract art. Glass design, however, was largely overlooked. Artists working in glass were allowed to continue their activities relatively unhindered because glass was not considered a potentially subversive medium; some painters and sculptors migrated to the world of glass. This period in Czech glass is characterized by innovative designs that document an important "underground" stage in Czech abstract art that would otherwise be unknown.

“Modern Czech glass is just now beginning to receive the recognition it deserves,” said Tina Oldknow, curator at the CMoG. “Sealed off from the West for decades, with only intermittent periods of exposure, the work of Czech artists and designers from the third quarter of the 20th century can now be fully appreciated.”

The works featured document the remarkable artistic vision, energy, and courage of Czechoslovak artists. The artists worked under highly repressive conditions. To exhibit their work, they needed to cooperate with a political regime that demanded that art follow the dictates of Socialist Realism, a strictly narrative, representational style used to depict politic ally-approved subject matter. To be true to themselves, they needed the ability to create what they wanted, free from the constraints of political ideologies. And, in glass, they found a way to do this.