Michaela Spružinová - Serious Play
Michaela Spružinová – Serious Play
Michaela Spružinová (*1983) studied glass painting at the Secondary School of Applied Arts in Kamenický Šenov (1998–2002) and subsequently curating (2008–2010) and glass at the Glass Studio (2002-2008) at the Faculty of Art and Design of the Jan Evangelista Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem. Since 2006 she has participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions in the Czech Republic and abroad, e.g. at the Coach Gallery Dublin Castle (IE), Pittsburgh Center for Contemporary Craft (USA), Venice Glass Week (IT), National Gallery – Kvadrat 500 (BG), Boda Glasbruk (SE), Museo Municipal de Arte en Vidrio Mava (ES), Blaue Fabrik (DE).
One of the most important aspects of the work of contemporary glass artists is the process itself, which refers to an experimental approach. Glass artists work with the principles of discovering and exploring the limits of material, technological, and ultimately personal possibilities. Based on this, the paths to project implementation vary. Within the experimental approach, experience becomes an important outcome for the artists, forming a basis for a deeper understanding of the practical aspect of a project. They respect the historical links, but consider some areas to be outdated, and so they strive for originality, the search for new paths, and multidisciplinarity is to a large extent manifested in their thinking and work. Glass artists experiment, innovate, combine materials, and combine classical glass craftsmanship with new technologies.
The above fully reflects in Michaela Spružinová's work. The author takes a completely free approach to her work, the chosen themes, processing and presentation. She focuses on the demanding technique of drawn glass threads, using them to form various fragile structures resembling fine nets or textiles. The resulting relief is left to lie in a glass furnace, resulting in a painting that can be hanged on a wall. In the case of spatial objects, she lays thin glass rods one next to the other. She primarily works with recycled glass – waste glass from glassworks, as it is, including its defects and blemishes, which she transforms into characteristic works. Although glass is currently Michaela's main medium of expression, she is open to experimenting and working with other materials. She faces various limitations in her work, but in spite of this she retains the desire to create and experiment. Her motivation is the joy of creation, which leads to the gradual achievement of her goals.
What is admirable is the patience and precision with which she relentlessly works and creates works that hide her stories. Currently, her main topic is self-portrait – perception of her own body: "In the beginning it was a critical self-reflection of my own body. I was parodying my body, which does not satisfy the strict dictates of contemporary culture and society. Then I reflected on the changes in my body after I have had children - stretch marks, breastfeeding, the belly that I was left with, things that were suddenly an integral part of myself. I am now able to apply the principle of the changing body or matter that transforms into anything – animals, plants, things. I have emerged from myself." In addition to animal and plant motifs, on which she is able to apply human qualities, she also focuses on everyday objects, which she brings back to life in a humorous way.
The "Serious Play" exhibition is divided into three parts. The entrance part could be characterized by the Czech simile "Blood-and-milk girl", in the next section we move to the "Exotic Pavilion" and finally we enter the artist's "Picture Gallery". While designing the exhibition, the artist also created completely new works, dealt with space of the gallery and created a site-specific installation. Each totally original work has a story hidden in it. A story that is woven into a fragile glass web and gradually reveals itself upon closer examination.
Miroslava Ptáčková
