Petr Hora – Perfection in Glass

As a teenager, Petr Hora actually wanted to become a civil engineer. His dream was to build houses and bridges, as modern architecture fascinated him deeply. But then the artist, born in Brno in South Moravia, discovered his passion for the beauty of glass. For a long time, glass had merely been something for everyday use in his eyes. But one day, when his father took him to a glassworks in Chlum u Třeboně, he was instantly captivated by the glowing hot mass into which the glassblowers dipped their pipes and began to shape through turning and blowing.

“That was sixty years ago – I’ve been working with glass ever since,” says Petr Hora. “Unfortunately, I was never able to tell my father in his lifetime that it was the best decision I ever made. But I’m deeply grateful that he introduced me to it. I learned glassblowing from the ground up.”

Color plays a fundamental role in his objects. “The most beautiful colors are crystal tones,” the glass artist firmly believes. But he rarely uses them, as colored glass, he says, has more expressive power. Each shape fits a different color. He often decides depending on his mood. “I also like using darker, smoky tones – even if they can sometimes evoke a sense of melancholy,” says the artist. At the same time, these tones also convey seriousness, nobility, and something mysterious or mystical. “I play with color contrasts,” he explains. The thickness of the glass is key: the thinner the material, the lighter the color nuances.

In the 1990s, Petr Hora began to develop his unique techniques, in which he also combined glass with other materials such as metal, wood, and stone to create fascinating and complex works of art. His sculptures are inspired by many things: the human form, ancient art, pyramids, and contemporary architecture. The impressive result of hours of grinding and polishing is the interplay of color and light in his works. Thanks to his exceptional imagination, he continues to create unique sculptures from forms and images.

“I’m extremely glad I chose this profession,” says Petr Hora, “especially here in the Czech Republic, where glass is part of our lives and a national cultural heritage.” Petr Hora is considered one of the leading glass artists of his generation and has had a significant influence on contemporary glass art.

Petr Hora began training as a glassmaker at the age of 15, completing a two-year apprenticeship. He then attended the School of Glassmaking in Železný Brod and worked at the Škrdlovice glassworks. There, he had the good fortune – as he puts it – to meet the now-deceased, renowned glass artist František Vízner. “I’m proud of every hour I was able to work with him,” says Petr Hora. “He taught me the art of glass cutting. He was also the one who inspired me to create cast-glass sculptures.”

Petr Hora’s works consist almost exclusively of clear, geometrical forms executed with admirable precision. “In fact, geometry is the essential element in my work. It expresses my childhood dream of becoming an architect. Most people love old towns with their many historical buildings,” he says. “For me, it’s the opposite – I’m fascinated by bold, modern architecture.”