Published by Lucie Aboegla, Domus Artis

Behind every sculpture lies a story. Not only the story of its creation, but also the life, philosophy, and craftsmanship of the artist who brought it into being. At Domus Artis, we believe that collecting art is about more than appreciating beauty, it is about understanding the ideas, traditions, and human experiences that shape each work.

As part of our ongoing series, Conversations with Masters of Czech Glass, we are honoured to introduce Peter Mandl, one of the most distinguished figures in contemporary Czech and Swedish sculpture. Born in Czechoslovakia and educated at the renowned Glass School of Applied Arts in Železný Brod before continuing his studies in sculpture at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, Mandl has spent more than five decades exploring the expressive possibilities of glass and bronze. His sculptures, represented in public and private collections across Europe, are celebrated for their lyrical movement, refined balance, and profound understanding of light and form. Yet despite international recognition, what strikes one most is not only his artistic mastery, but his extraordinary humility.

Throughout this conversation, Peter Mandl speaks with the same quiet honesty that defines his sculpture. His answers are often brief, sometimes unexpectedly simple, yet they reveal the distilled wisdom of an artist who has devoted his life to making rather than explaining. Rather than searching for grand theories, he speaks of craftsmanship, collaboration, perseverance, and the enduring joy of creation.

This conversation is an invitation to step beyond the finished artwork and into the artist's world to discover the thoughts, values, and experiences that cannot be seen in glass alone. It is our hope that by preserving these voices, we contribute not only to a deeper appreciation of contemporary Czech glass art, but also to the legacy of the remarkable artists who continue to shape its history.

 

I believe that art should make people feel good.  -  Peter Mandl

Mr. Mandl, you studied glass cutting and shaping at the Secondary Glass School of Applied Arts in Železný Brod. You then continued your education in the Sculpture Department under Curt Thorsjö at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm, before working as an independent designer at Glasskolan in Orrefors, one of the world's most renowned centres of glassmaking. Looking back today, how would you describe the differences between the Czech and Scandinavian artistic and craft traditions that shaped your work?

When I arrived in Sweden, glass artists generally did not know how to work with glass themselves. Craftsmanship was not taught at the art schools. I don't know how it is today, perhaps it is even worse. I already knew how to cut and shape glass, so I was able to realise my own designs independently. How exactly this influenced me, I cannot really say.

When did you first encounter bronze as an artistic medium? Was it already during your studies at Konstfack?

I only began working with bronze after I was unable to establish my work within the Swedish glassworks of Orrefors and Kosta.

(Editor's note: Following his graduation from Konstfack in 1972, Peter Mandl applied to both Orrefors and Kosta Glassworks but was rejected at the beginning because his distinctly Czech, sculptural approach did not align with the minimalist Scandinavian design ideals of the period. As a result, he left Sweden and worked as a freelance designer for Beyer & Co. in Bavaria (West Germany) between 1974 and 1976, where his work was met with greater appreciation and helped establish his reputation as an independent designer. He returned to Sweden in 1977 to work as a freelance designer for Orrefors Glassworks, by which time his artistic vision had gained broader recognition. At the end of the 1970s, Mandl left industrial glass production to devote himself entirely to independent bronze sculpture, a medium through which he achieved widespread critical recognition in Sweden. When he returned to artistic glass in the early 1990s, his work reflected a remarkable synthesis of the expressive sculptural traditions of Czech glass with the refined simplicity and formal clarity associated with Scandinavian design, creating the distinctive artistic language for which he is recognised today.)

Your sculptures often seem to capture movement at the very moment of transformation. What is it about this tension between movement and stillness that has fascinated you throughout your career?

In my view, every sculpture must contain movement. I try to capture that precise moment when movement creates composition and balance.

 

References to natural forces: wind, waves, growth, flowing energy recur throughout your work. Is nature primarily a visual source of inspiration for you, or does it represent a deeper principle of form?

More a deeper principle of form.

The female figure is another recurring motif in your work. What makes it such an enduring source of inspiration for you as a sculptor?

Women have always been, are, and always will be a source of inspiration.

Your sculptures possess a remarkable organic quality, yet they are equally characterised by compositional discipline, refined proportions, and an inherent sense of order. How do you find the balance between intuition and formal control?

I don't really know. It is intuition - perhaps like a musician tuning an instrument.

Alongside glass, you have worked extensively with bronze for many years. Could you briefly describe the process of creating a bronze sculpture, from the initial idea to the finished work?

It begins with a sketch on paper, followed by a clay sketch. I then determine the final size, model the sculpture in clay, cast it in plaster, and finally send it to the foundry for casting in bronze.

 

Your biography notes that during the late 1970s you worked almost exclusively with bronze, returning to glass only in the early 1990s. What did your return to glass bring to your sculptural thinking?

Anything that can be created in glass can also be realised in bronze, but the reverse is not possible. Working with glass means accepting its unique physical properties while simultaneously seeking to exploit them to their fullest potential. Those inherent limitations became a creative challenge, and I believe they ultimately shifted my sculptural thinking in a new direction.

Light, transparency, and optical depth are fundamental qualities of glass. Do you consider the role of light from the very beginning of the design process, or does its significance only fully reveal itself during the making of the work?

Yes, I do consider it from the very beginning. But glass has a life of its own, and it often surprises you.

Glass has a life of its own, and it often surprises you.

Your glass sculptures appear remarkably refined, fluid, and optically sophisticated, despite being created through a highly demanding technological process that requires close collaboration with master glassmakers. How do you guide and oversee the various stages of production to ensure that the finished work reflects your artistic vision of form, light, surface, and overall expression?

I entrust the original plaster model to Mr. Hýsek in Železný Brod, whose technical expertise in glass surpasses my own. He knows how best to transform the model into glass, and together we determine the final surface treatment and finishing of the sculpture.

Editor's note: Mr. Hýsek is a highly respected Czech master glassmaker based in Železný Brod, renowned for his expertise in translating sculptors' plaster models into kiln-cast glass.

Do you primarily work with lead crystal in your glass sculptures, or do you prefer another type of glass? What factors influence your choice of material in terms of light, mass, and the final expression of the work?

We encountered persistent quality issues with lead crystal, so I no longer use it in my work.

Editor's note: During the late twentieth century, many European glass artists moved away from traditional lead crystal due to increasing concerns over consistency, material quality, and changing manufacturing practices. Contemporary optical glass formulations often provide greater stability while maintaining the exceptional clarity required for sculptural work.

 

Throughout your work, one senses a remarkable ability to unite sensuous beauty with an inner sense of tranquillity. Do you consciously seek to create works that invite contemplation and quiet reflection?

I believe that art should make people feel good.

Your works possess a strong sense of inner poetry. What significance does the title of a sculpture hold for you? Does it emerge at the beginning of the creative process, or only once the form has been completed?

I usually come up with the title only after the work is finished, even though I generally begin with a particular theme or motif in mind.

Your works are represented in both public and private collections and can be found in public spaces throughout Sweden and internationally. Does the awareness of this public dimension influence your relationship with a work while you are creating it?

I don't think about that.

Looking back on more than five decades of artistic practice, do you see a defining period or turning point that shaped the course of your development?

My return to glass.

Editor's note: After working almost exclusively in bronze throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Mandl returned to artistic glass in the early 1990s. This marked a significant turning point in his practice, bringing together the sculptural freedom he had developed in bronze with the unique expressive possibilities of glass.

 

Is there a particular work to which you find yourself returning in your thoughts as a personally significant milestone?

I try not to look back. I'd rather keep moving forward, although that isn't always possible.

How has your relationship with time changed over the years in the creative process? Do you approach patience, pace, and the maturation of form differently today than you did at the beginning of your career?

These days, I no longer work twelve hours a day.

What ideas, themes, or forms are currently occupying your thoughts? Is there anything you would like to explore further or develop in your future work?

As you've probably noticed, I find it difficult to put into words what I've already created and it's even harder for me to speak about future plans. I admire colleagues who are able to give lectures about their own work.

How would you like your work to be understood within the broader context of contemporary sculpture and glass art?

I don't think about that at all. I work because I have to, and because I love what I do. Some years ago, I lost 160 sculptures through the actions of a fraudulent dealer. What ultimately helped me recover was the realization that the most important thing for me had never been the objects themselves - it was the work of creating them.

Mr. Mandl, thank you sincerely for your time, your generosity, and for sharing your reflections on art, material, and the creative process with us. We greatly appreciate your openness and are honoured to have the opportunity to introduce your remarkable work and the thoughts behind it to our readers, collectors, and admirers of contemporary glass art. We wish you continued inspiration and many more years of creative fulfilment.