A photographer who received a piece of the Symbol installation in Prague this week described it as a “homecoming.” The project, designed by British artist Lee Broom in collaboration with Czech glass specialist Brokis, makes its first appearance in the city after previous exhibitions in London and Milan. The modular lighting design, crafted from recycled glass, now occupies the square outside the Rudolfinum, where the Czech Philharmonic has held concerts since 1946.
The installation’s debut aligns with DesignBlok, an annual festival celebrating Prague’s deep roots in glassmaking and decorative arts. Festival director Jana Zielinski highlighted two central themes in this year’s lineup: light as a functional element and light as a symbol of renewal. ‘One is very concrete while the other is to show light in the context of hope, new beginnings and it being the opposite of darkness. I think in these times, this is very important. I would love visitors to see that hope exists and it’s important to fight the darkness.’
The Trade Fair Palace of the National Gallery Prague served as the festival’s primary venue after a three-year hiatus. Across its five floors, more than 250 exhibitions took place. Local designer Maxim Velčovský, Lasvit’s creative director, installed Veranda in the atrium—a large table draped in red-and-white checked fabric. The piece examines themes of development and change, while translucent fabric stretching across eight floors created a striking visual effect. Czech American artist Marie April performed on the table during the opening, emerging from the fabric as she sang.
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At the Museum of Decorative Arts, the show Retro Lamps presented mass-produced lighting from Czechoslovakia between the 1950s and 1980s. Curator Eva Slunečková organized the retrospective to honor designers often overlooked by manufacturers.
For the first time, DesignBlok opened the deconsecrated Chapel of the Holy Cross in Prague Castle to the public. Inside, Eva Eisler’s Circle of Silence featured seven river stones arranged in a circle, paired with a soundscape by Jiří Trtík. The installation repeated seven words, origin, continuity, memory, presence, alignment, resonance, and integrity, as a reflective mantra.
Prague’s modern design scene builds on its centuries-old craft traditions. Three rising talents stood out this year: Kamila Vil, whose Forbidden Fruits vases replicate organic textures; Filip Hruby, whose Cube Lamp manipulates light through uneven glass; and Anastasia Mazur, whose Mirrors Garden employs basket-weaving to shape mirrors.
