Designblok Cosmos: The Intergalactic Beauty of Czech Design

For twenty-five years, Designblok – Prague International Design Festival has been dedicated to the advancement of the Czech design scene, collaborating with renowned designers, supporting young authors, connecting creators and industry, spreading awareness among the general public and representing Czech design abroad. All of this is reflected in the outdoor exhibition – a mobile gallery in the form of a space capsule hiding ten original glass works by ten leading Czech designers. The connecting link between the exhibited works is the material used: glass, so traditional for the Czech Republic. The original objects artfully work with luminescence and represent not only the authors’ free approach to creation and material but also very varied production technologies, traditions, the know-how of Czech factories and manufactories, craftsmanship and the latest approaches and experiments. The curatorial selection by Jana Zielinski and Jiří Macek features artists who are firmly associated with the festival – Jakub Berdych Karpelis, DECHEM Studio, Lucie Koldová, Václav Mlynář, Lukáš Novák, Jiří Pelcl, Rony Plesl, Tadeáš Podracký, Maxim Velčovský and Jan Plecháč, who is also the author of the innovative architectural design. A semi-trailer truck has been customized for the exhibition, which, after parking in the desired location, unfolds into an exhibition area of 65 m2. The interior is covered with mirrors, while the exterior is wrapped in a silver reflective shell.