Petr Hora
Czech, born 1949Neptune, 2003
On view
Cast and polished glass
Dimensions18 × 13 3/4 × 4 in. (45.7 × 34.9 × 10.2 cm)
Courtesy of the Isabel Foundation, L2017.2
Although Petr Hora is influenced by many things—from ancient art and contemporary architecture to nature and the human form—his work is stripped down to the most fundamental geometric features. They are by no means simple forms, as the interplay of matte and reflective surfaces, alluring colors, and dramatic variations in the thickness of the glass creates dynamic and light-filled objects. Like his teacher Stanislav Libensky, Hora uses a kiln casting technique where various irregular shaped chunks of colored glass are broken down and placed into a mold. The glass in the mold is heated to a melting temperature at which point they flow together and become one piece of solid glass. After the sculpture is cooled he uses coldworking machinery to refine the shape, polish the surface, and add desired textures. The lighter, milky lines that you see inside of Hadros are micro bubbles that were sandwiched between the outsides of all the glass chunks as they melted together in the mold.
