Jaroslav Matouš – Glass Objects

Exhibition date:  October – December 1999

Jaroslav Matouš, born in 1941, studied at Prague School of Applied Arts in the glass studio of the famous Prof. Stanislav Libensky. During the 11 years since the foundation of Glasgalerie Hittfeld the friends of contemporary glass art have been able to look at the objects of many outstanding artists. However, most of these artists work with glass in the sculptural way which is typcial for the Czech glass scene. Therefore Jaroslav Matouš’ techniques as a painter constitute quite a difference.

Jaroslav Matouš is a sensible observor, who discovers his inspiration from the inexhaustible sources of natural motives. He composes his overall paintings from bird’s-eye view by placing colourful patches, little dots, of almost pointillist character, or fine lines on the glass surface. The artist pays the same attention to almost invisible elements lost in the whole of the landscape, thus giving them an important and dominant significance in his glass objects.

The fine colours of the glass and the additional use of melted wires and small glass beads also emphasize the fragility of nature. His poetic way of contemplating the nature characterizes his objects in a very individual and original way, also demonstrating philosophically the fragile connections of our environment. The work of the artist is represented in numerous private as well as international collections and museums, such as Art Museum Düsseldorf/Germany, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo/Japan, Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Lausanne/Switzerland etc. For the world exhibition in Sevilla in 1992 Jaroslav Matouš created and realized a three-dimensional installation.