Martin Štefánek & Barbora Štefánková: Grotesques
We invite you to Rona Gallery for the exhibition of Martin and Barbora Štefánek. The exhibition architect is Patrik Illo.
Where?
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Rona Gallery
- Castle grounds in Lednické Rovne, Schreiberova 365, 020 61 Lednické Rovne
When?
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Opening: Thursday, July 24, 2025 at 5:00 PM
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Exhibition duration: July 24 – September 19, 2025
Curator:
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Petr Nový
Exhibition Architect
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Patrik Illo
Photogallery
Martin Štefánek & Barbora Štefánková – Grotesques
In Desná, in the north of Bohemia—where glassmaking forms part of the region’s DNA—Martin Štefánek works in his studio together with his wife Ludmila and daughter Barbora, who also works in the school studio of the glass department at UMPRUM in Prague, where she graduated. Over the past three decades, Štefánek has become an internationally sought-after master glassmaker who brings the visions of many designers and artists into glass. This is due not only to his craftsmanship excellence but also to his extraordinary depth of knowledge in hot-glass techniques and his successful experiments with coloring glass—an area in which he has no equal in the Czech Republic today.
Martin Štefánek belongs to the group of glassmakers who are able to channel their technical mastery into the creation of their own artistic objects without slipping into flashy showmanship. His original glass sculptures captivate with their precision, attention to detail, and distinct artistic stylization. He shares with his daughter Barbora a fondness for hyperbole, exaggeration, paradox, gentle humor, and irony—in one word: the grotesque.
The exhibition presents a collection of glass sculptures, most of which were created specifically for this occasion. Martin Štefánek drew inspiration from traditional Czech broadside ballads and chose to visualize some of their themes. Selected text passages accompanied by the artist’s sketches are also included in the presentation. Barbora Štefánková presents a selection from a concept developed at the beginning of this decade. Under the title From Love, she offers Rococo-style playful miniatures that, when paired with their descriptive captions, take on a contrasting and unsettling tone. The works were realized by her father based on her designs.
The grotesques of Martin and Barbora Štefánek brilliantly demonstrate their shared love for detail, for exploring meaning and context, and for play with language and creation itself. Words—like works of art—are not swords, but they can cut, wound, stir emotion, awe, and awaken. They can lead from pain to joy through discovery, understanding, and insight. The glass world of the Štefáneks is therefore open to anyone prepared for such a journey.
PhDr. Petr Nový, Ph.D.
Museum of Glass and Jewellery in Jablonec nad Nisou
