LONDON.- A unique exhibition highlighting different ways of the use of traditional materials in a contemporary design is coming to London’s Notting Hill area as part of London Design Festival. By Light, by Place opens in Czech Centre’s galleries on 10th September to present latest work by three accomplished and internationally exhibited Czech visual artists, offering different perspectives on the use of glass, ceramics and space. Artists Lada Semecká, Petr Lada (exhibiting together as Studio LAD.), and Petr Stanický’s captivating designs demonstrate the aesthetic and emotive qualities of these materials while maintaining innovative approach and functionality.

Bound by a shared desire to test the limits of their respective materials, the common denominator of all three artists are works that expose the fragility and strength of the material, inviting viewers to uncover the symbolic worlds behind them. For their first joint London exhibition, Semecká’s contemplative glass landscapes and Lada’s expressive ceramic sculptures will be on show at The Window Gallery, located inside the Czech Embassy’s impressive brutalist building. The neighbouring Bouda Gallery will house works by internationally acclaimed glass sculptor Petr Stanický, best known for his large-scale site-specific installations inspired by architectural spaces and glass’ natural properties. Stanický returns to London Design Festival after his successful London debut at the V&A in 2017, followed by his unmissable project Planes of Perception at the 2021 London Design Biennale.

By Light, by Place opens with a Private View on Tuesday 10th September. On Thursday 19th September the three artists will be giving a guided tour (5.30pm-6pm), followed by artists’ presentations from 6.30pm. The exhibition remains open until 25th September.

Lada Semecká is a visual artist, glassmaker and educator who has been exhibiting globally for the past three decades. Her works are part of public collections in Japan, USA, Germany and Czech Republic. Her distinctive sensitivity to materials and deep connection to nature reflect in her work inspired by landscapes and natural processes. Between 2008 and 2012 Semecká taught at TIGA, Toyama, Japan, and since 2012 she has been teaching at the Faculty of Art and Design, University of Jan Evangelista Purkyně in Ústí nad Labem, Czech Republic.

Petr Lada is a distinctive figure on contemporary Czech art scene. He works with ceramics using both traditional and innovative approaches that challenge the traditional boundaries of this material. His work stands out for its experimental use of glazes, textures and shapes, creating objects that are both visually fascinating and thought-provoking. He focuses on the interaction between form and surface, often employing unusual techniques and combinations of materials, bringing a new perspective on ceramics as a dynamic and modern artistic medium.

Petr Stanický is an internationally exhibited, classically trained sculptor who works predominantly with glass. Architectural in nature, his work draws from space, light, reflection, and the opportunities derived from the material he uses. He graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, having also studied at the Edinburgh College of Art, Rhode Island School of Design and New York Academy of Art. He is currently the Head of the Glass Department at Tomáš Baťa University in Zlín, Czech Republic.