On the afternoon of June 3, the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Hanoi, in collaboration with the Czech Center, inaugurated the exhibition "The Magic of Czech Glass" at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum.

At the opening ceremony, the Czech Republic's Ambassador to Vietnam, Mr. Hynek Kmoníček, emphasized that this exclusive exhibition is dedicated to Vietnam and will not be shown in any other country. The 17 works on display, created by 13 artists, are all meticulously handcrafted with the highest level of skill.

The Czech glassmaking tradition spans centuries and is recognized for its technological excellence worldwide. The technique of melting sculptures into molds is particularly time-consuming, expensive, and skill-intensive but is widely practiced in the Czech Republic due to its comprehensive approach to glass sculpture.

As a result, Czech glassmaking techniques have been inscribed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The creation process starts with a sketch. Various materials such as clay, plaster, wax, wood, polystyrene (a flexible polymer), or 3D technology are employed in production.

Following the model, the precise amount of glass is melted in a furnace to fill the mold. The piece is then cooled gradually by lowering the temperature over several days, weeks, or even months, depending on the size of the object, to room temperature.

This slow cooling process prevents internal stresses and cracking. The final steps include mechanically removing the plaster sand mold and performing surface treatments such as grinding, sandblasting, or acid polishing.

The exhibition runs until June 14, 2024 at the Vietnam Fine Arts Museum, 66 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi.

Photos of some exhibited works: