Ivan Mares
In the world of individuals working with glass Ivan Mareš has become increasingly well known although he completes an astonishingly low number of pieces. His limited output is the result of long gestation periods of thought and nature study. Another factor constrains his production: if he believes a sculpture is not exactly right he makes it again and again until it’s perfectly crafted. This attitude stems from a passionate idealism regarding the higher meaning and purpose of art.
Mareš renders common perishable materials – feathers, hay, rope – in heavy lead glass. His work is a study in contradictions. Within the same piece he seeks the balance between opposing sensations and their mutual integration into a powerful and dynamic geometric form.
Ivan Mareš’ produces objects of beautiful mystery. For the artist they are organisms capable of self-sustaining life. For the viewer, they provoke wonder and remind us of all that is truly incomprehensible in nature
Ivan Mares sculptures are owned by numerous public collections internationally including the Los Angeles Museum of Art, Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art, Sapporo, Japan, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, National Gallery, Prague, Czech Republic, Museum of fine Arts Boston, • National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia and the Corning Museum of Glass.
