Hana Hillerová
Glass sculptor
Prague, Czech Republic
Recommended by Jean Blanchaert & Irina Focsaneanu Eschenazi
Newfound rhythyms in glass
- Hana practised metal sculpting before pursuing glass art
- Motherhood transformed her perception of her practice
- She is exploring fused glass to achieve architectural scale
Growing up in Prague, Hana Hillerová was surrounded by books and exhibitions. She was influenced by her parents, who were deeply interested in the arts, and her mother’s collection of thick-walled Czech glass with optical effects. “Having those art pieces in my visual field as a child had a big influence on me,” Hana shares. These early memories led her to become a full-time artist while attending California Polytechnic State University. Hana pursued an MFA in visual arts at the University of Texas, Austin, and completed a residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture. One of her major works, a large-scale metal sculpture installation, is permanently displayed at Houston Intercontinental Airport. After years of working in the USA, Hana returned to her native Czech Republic, where she was reintroduced to glass, a material that defines her artistic practice today.
INTERVIEW
Charles Parriott encouraged me to pursue the craft. He introduced me to Martin Janecký, with whom I developed early works. At first, glassmakers executed my designs until one day Richard Royal handed me a metal rod and said, 'Here, shape the glass yourself.' Glass became not only a material to be designed but a medium to be physically negotiated.
I am interested in the temperament of glass: its weight, viscosity, movement, heat and memory. I create conditions in which the glass can reveal its nature. This results in a space between control and autonomy, where the maker sets the process in motion but the material also becomes an active collaborator.
Motherhood changed the rhythm of my life and work, and for a while, art was pushed aside. Joining Mothers Artlovers, a collective of women artists navigating similar circumstances, marked my return to art in 2018. Motherhood made me rethink form less as something imposed and more as something that I help bring out.
Look beyond glass. Study sculpture, painting, architecture, design, craft and the history of visual culture. Innovation often happens at the confluence of different disciplines. Spend time with great masters, observe carefully and keep your eyes and heart open.
Hana Hillerová
Glass sculptor
Prague, Czech Republic
Recommended by Jean Blanchaert & Irina Focsaneanu Eschenazi
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Prague, Czech Republic
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
LANGUAGES
Czech, English
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