“Initially, we would create some sort of glass ateliers on our own. But then they prohibited us from being independent so the Borské sklo enterprise took over and we became Ateliers of Borské sklo, that’s how it was called. I then became their director. In there, a number of works of other artists were produced – for instance Smrčková, Jan Kotík... He made a big, beautiful thing for the Brussels EXPO, very progressive. Brussels was an opportunity to provoke not only out there but also against the tight grip of the bad government of that time.”
“Glass, matter, shape, expression – that is how I called it. I was lucky once again then. Within the installation, they came up with a fairly big object made out of iron tubes as if foundations of a house. And they asked me whether I would be willing to do something to add to it… That was a fantastic opportunity and I created a huge sculpture. Such an opportunity. We were so excited about finally breaking free, going to see the world, showing our works and proving that we are worthy. And I think we didn’t disappoint ourselves. It wasn’t bad.”
“I was drawing ever since I was a child. And since the Academy of Fine Arts was closed, I was lucky enough to have a great high school teacher, a professional designer and sculptor. Once during a lesson he called me to go to the hallway and in his hand he held an application to a school of decorative arts. He picked it up for me himself and I filled it in at the window ledge. He dictated: ‘I am applying to the school of professor Holeček.’ I had never heard the name before, so I looked at him asking who were we talking about but he just continued: ‘To study painting and glass.’ And I asked: ‘What will I do with the glass?’ He replied: ‘Don’t worry, it will all come naturally.’”
René Roubíček was born on 23 January 1922 in Prague. He attended an experimental elementary school in the Nusle district. The pupils led by Miloslav Disman would regularly recite and René along with his two years older brother were members of Dismans children’s radio ensamble. Ever since second grade he was drawing and painting. Because of the closure of Prague’s Academy of Fine Arts he instead started studying a school of decorative arts. His mentor was Jaroslav Holeček from an atelier focusing on painting and glass. He passed his state exam at Josef Kaplický. Encouraged by their father, at the time of the Protectorate both brothers were engaged in print and distribution of resistance materials. René taught at fine arts ateliers of a glass school in Kamenický Šenov and at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague. He was head of ateliers of the national enterprise Borské sklo and collaborated with numerous firms and glass factories. René Roubíček became one of the prominent figures of the new Czech glass whose works were exhibited among others at the EXPO 1958 in Brussels and EXPO 1967 in Montreal where they won global accolade. The life works of René Roubíček are characterized by an effort to push the borders of artistic expression and technological possibilities of glass creation. René Roubíček passed away on May, 2018
