Josef Marek

Josef Marek in his fascinating sculptural objects uses natural qualities of glass mass and its ability to create feeling of depth of a space. His practical sculptural training, ability of perception and strong imagination gives him the advantage to approach this extraordinary and in all aspects difficult medium from many different directions. Sometimes Josef in his simple , geometric shapes– perhaps influenced by his long stay in Japan – creates unreal spaces with the extraordinary mysterious feeling ,or perhaps a presence of ability of higher perception of surrounding reality . Other time creates objects in apparently impossible positions denying gravity for to create illusion of levitating or flying perhaps like an another option of perception for our imperfect senses .Often his art intentions require to combine glass mass with other materials like basalt or granite stone, yet his approach remain always the same :simplicity ,clarity and purity- as an strong contrast and general solution for the complicated world.

Education
1978-1982 Secondary school of glass art, Kamenický Šenov
1990-1996 University of Fine Arts and Architecture ,Prague-Glass in Architecture 1994-1995 Alfred University N.Y., USA ,
Work Experience
1982-1986 glass worker , Crystalex , Nový Bor
1989. Art and craft Teacher, SOÚ sklářské, Kamenický Šenov
1989-1990 Designer and director of art glass experimental workshop, Umělecká řemesla, Prague
1997-2000 Visiting Professor, Toyama City Institute of Glass Art, Japan
Lectures University of Sunderland UK, University U.K.

Selected Exhibitions
Contemporary Art Glass Society UK,Staffordshire
1991 Galerie Václava Špály, Praha
1991 Water Reservoir, Barcelona
1993 Hrad Sovinec
1994 Holsten Gallery, USA
1994-1996 Rob Van Den Doel Gallery, Holandsko
1995 Umělecko-průmyslové muzeum, Praha, Cena Swarovského 1995-1996 Galerie Langův Dům, Frýdek
1996 Národní technické muzeum, Praha
1998 Chappell Gallery, USA
1998 DAY.I.Can, Toyama, Japonsko
1998 Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Seto, Japonsko 1998 Museum of Modern Art, Takaoka, Japonsko
1998 Enomoto Gallery, Osaka, Japan
1998 Venezia Aperto Vetro 98, Italie
1998 Auction in aid of Sue Ryder Foundation, The Studio Glass Gallery, Londýn 1998 Glasgalerie Hittfeld, Německo
1999 The second contemporary glass exhibition in Satsuma, Japonsko
2000 Japanese Connections, The Studio Glass Gallery,Londýn
2002 Stone and glass, Czech Embassy, Tokyo, Japonsko
2004/05 Praha/Aichi-Japan-EXPO 2005~“V zajetí světla a prostoru“

2006 MASTERS OF MODERN,MUNCHEN
2006 SOFA Chicago
2007 SOFA Chicago
2008 REFLECTIONS ON CONTEMPORARY GLASS,MUSEUM OF ART,SANTA FE,NEW MEXICO 2008 20 JAHRE GLASGALERIE HITTFELD:“DREI GENERATIONEN“
2009 CONNECTIONS-CONTEMPORARY EUROPEAN GLASS SCULPTURE. 2012 LEI SEE,KORU CONTEMPORA...