LASVIT EMOTIONS: Maxim Velčovský

Last week saw the return of one of the design events of the year Fuori Salone in Milan, and once again Lasvit (newly appointed BCFA Member) returned with an extraordinary installation filled with special glass art pieces designed by some of the worlds famous designers and artists.

This years installation was called LASVIT <E>MOTIONS which wonderfully combines new collaboration with famous architect Daniel Libeskind or Dutch design star Maarten Baas and earlier collaboration represented by great creators Michael Young, Arik Levy or Jan Plecháč and Henry Wielgus. For the first time the company also launches work of their art director and renowned Czech designer Maxim Velčovský.

LASVIT <E>MOTIONS reflect the contemporary creativity proposed by Lasvit and fully illustrate the company´s mission: to transform glass into breathtaking light and design experiences. The nine unique lighting installations, each have a story that triggers a specific emotion, either by movement, light or static beauty.

Design Insider over the next will go into detail of each the designs that were shown at the show giving you an insight into the designers and ideas behind each wonderful piece. This Design focus is on Frozen by Maxim Velčovský

The Frozen collection was inspired by the transformation of water into ice. This moment is similar to work in a glassmaker shop. Creating a solid object from a liquid material is an essential characteristic of glass. Each designer attempts a small miracle –turning liquid glass to solid form.

Velčovský allows the glass to spill over a metal form and seeks advantage in its natural properties. Each piece traces a unique record of the process, becoming an original. Maxim found inspiration among pieces of ice created by nature and applied that element of randomness in nature to his craft in the context of glassmaking.

The result is a ‘frozen’ sculpture, combining the richness of glass textures, wrinkled details, bubbles and varied thicknesses. Frozen is a series in which no shape is possibly the same. Glassmakers understand their material always ‘freezes’ at some moment in the process and only the most skilled hands are capable of creating a unique form.

Maxim Velčovský

Maxim Velčovský (born 1976) completed his studies at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, in 2002 becoming co-founder of the Qubus design studio.  He participated in ninety joint exhibitions and his works are included in the collections of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, The New Pinakothek in Munich, the Museum of Art and Design in Prague and the Design Museum in Lausanne. In 2007 he won Designer of the Year award. In 2011 became Art Director of Lasvit, also heading the Ceramics and Porcelain Atelier of the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague.