Description
Summer Day, Petra Hřebačková, 2026
The work Summer Day from 2026 belongs to Petra Hřebačková’s most recent body of work and reveals her practice in an exceptionally light and luminous mode. Two open sections rise from a shared base and extend upwards like unfurling leaves, wings or petals. Between them, a narrow space emerges that is just as important to the overall composition as the mass of the glass itself.
At first glance, the object may appear very simple. Yet this simplicity is precisely its greatest strength. Petra Hřebačková does not rely here on a complex construction or an extensive range of colours. Instead, she works primarily with purity of form, subtly tinted transparency and light as it moves across the rounded surfaces and gathers along the edges.
Summer Day does not therefore read as a description of one particular moment. Rather, it captures its atmosphere – calm, openness, light and a sense of space. The entire composition grows from a softly rounded base. As it rises, however, the object divides and opens into two separate sections. It is precisely the gap between them that creates the central tension of the work. This is not simply an empty space left by the separation of two planes. On the contrary, it becomes an active part of the composition. The eye is drawn inward, where a stronger colour accent appears and the individual layers begin to overlap optically.
From the front, Summer Day appears almost symmetrical, yet a second look disrupts this apparent regularity. Each side follows a different curve and a slightly different angle. As a result, the work never feels mechanical or static. It is balanced, but not perfectly identical, and it is precisely this subtle asymmetry that gives it a natural quality.
Light plays a key role in Summer Day. The large, smooth surfaces allow the translucency of the glass itself to come to the fore. Compared with some of Petra Hřebačková’s other works, the colour palette is considerably more restrained, allowing attention to focus on the form, the depth of the material and the changes created as light passes through the glass. Along the edges, the tone of the glass becomes optically more intense. Within the composition, a more pronounced violet accent and warmer coloured lines disrupt the calm of the main surfaces and add another visual layer to the object.
The appearance of the work changes significantly depending on its surroundings. Against a light background, it feels delicate, almost ethereal. Against a darker setting, its outline, the thickness of the material and the individual coloured edges become much more pronounced. With an object that appears this simple, technical precision is especially important. Any irregularity would be immediately visible across the large, smooth surfaces. For this reason, thermal processing and controlled cooling are followed by highly precise grinding, which defines the final silhouette and the way the individual parts connect.
The subsequent polishing has a crucial optical function. It opens the surface to light and allows the colour and internal structure of the glass to be seen without distracting diffusion. The result is an object whose technical complexity does not dominate at first glance. The craftsmanship recedes into the background and allows the form itself to stand out.
With dimensions of 28 × 28 × 5.5 cm, the work has highly versatile proportions. It can function well on a console, chest of drawers, independent plinth or in an open display case. Thanks to its shallow depth, it does not require a large installation surface, but it benefits from having sufficient free space around it.
A location with changing daylight is particularly suitable. In the morning, the work may appear almost translucent; in side light, the coloured edges become more pronounced, while focused evening lighting can emphasise its silhouette and internal intersections. Within an interior, the piece works particularly well where it is intended to create a calm, cultivated accent – in a living space, study, bedroom or representative interior.
Summer Day is a new work from 2026 and represents a softer, more reduced aspect of Petra Hřebačková’s practice. For collectors, it may be particularly interesting because it demonstrates how few elements the artist needs to create a striking sculpture. Form, several carefully placed colour interventions, light and a precisely defined empty space take the place of a more complex composition.
The work also belongs among the new pieces prepared for the exhibition Beyond Colour,where it will be presented to the public in the context of the artist’s wider body of work. Summer Day does not attract attention through visual loudness. Its strength lies in the way it captures light, opens up space and transforms a simple form into atmosphere.
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