The Born of Sand installation received the Grand Prix award at Designblok 2024

October 4, Karlovy Vary - The installation of the Moser glassworks “Born of Sand”, which can be seen in the Prague Castle Riding School as part of this year’s Designblok (October 2-6), impressed the international jury of Designblok 2024 so much that they awarded it the highest possible award - the Grand Prix prize.

“A great story, fantastic presentations and products, and a high-level sequel,” explained an international jury made up of independent foreign journalists, designers, curators and other experts from the world of design and architecture, its decision.

“I am thrilled with the award. The international jury appreciated not only the installation or the product itself but also the fulfilment of the vision that we, as Moser, presented and continue to develop. The fact that the two-year work of the entire team of the Moser glassworks receives an award from the world’s leading experts in the field of design is a tremendous honour and great feedback,” says designer and art director Jan Plecháč, whose vision of Moser’s new direction received prestigious recognition with the Grand Prix award. His work for Moser was also recognized at last year’s Designblok, where the glassworks won the Best Manufacturer’s Installation and the Public Award.

For this year’s Designblok, Jan Plecháč designed an installation called “Born of Sand”. It pays tribute to the basic raw glass material – sand, which turns into crystal beauty in the hands of the masters – but also to creativity and playfulness. The monumental block that dominates the space symbolizes the power and potential hidden in every grain of this raw material. As the block gradually disintegrates, it reveals its fragility and playful spirit, referencing childhoods filled with sandcastles and sand cakes.

The installation includes selected crystal works designed by Jan Plecháč, which embody the fresh era of Moser, which is also reflected in the innovative work with Moser colours. A novelty is premiered here – the Drop vase, inspired by a drop of water and its fragile beauty. It is a tribute to natural simplicity and a bold step into the world of geometric purity and breathtaking colours. Jan Plecháč’s successful first for the Moser glassworks - the enchanting blue Abyss vase - is complemented by other products within the Abyss Family collection or the Paleo series, which presents the concept of a new approach to iconic Moser products - processing with a grinding technique reminiscent of prehistoric flint. The objects, shrouded in mystery, are encased in sand, stimulating curiosity about what Moser has planned next while also recalling the childlike joy of discovery, imagination, and the desire to create and experiment. The installation thus marries monumentality with playfulness and shows that all great stories begin with a tiny grain of inspiration.

Photos for download here.

About Moser

MOSER, a.s., based in Karlovy Vary, has been devoted exclusively to manual glass production for 167 years. Its artworks, made of high-quality lead-free crystal, have found great success on both the Czech and foreign markets. Today, the company is one of the leading Czech exporters and represents the skill of Czech glassmakers on the world stage. Moser is a member of Comité Colbert, a French association focused on maintaining and cultivating the traditional manual production of luxury products. A key moment for the glassworks was the recent addition of manual glass production to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Likewise, major success at the Czech Grand Design awards, where its collection, Soul of the Forest, won the title of Producer of the Year, and its art director, Jan Plecháč, won the Designer of the Year award, becoming the absolute winner. You can learn more at www.moser.com.

Contact for the media

Barbora Vondalová
Moser a.s.
barbora.vondalova@moser.com
+420 731 466 851