CGD

The joint project of Modernista and designer Jiří Krejčiřík that recently premiered at Prague’s Designblok festival seems to be announcing a new era. Along with iconic chairs by Jindřich Halabala, porcelain designed by Czech architect Pavel Janák and tube furniture inspired by the productions of Mauser Werke, Modernista has been including new collections in their portfolio.

Jiří Krejčiřík has designed a collection of lightings that draws on the rich aesthetics of modernism, cubism and art deco, as well as the designs of Emil Králíček. For Modernista, this seems like a natural step – the aforementioned interwar designers will not be making any new designs, so it became necessary to expand the product range for new items developed by local designers.

Jiří Krejčiřík often connects his sense for contemporary aesthetics with meticulous craft and a strong, readily recognizable style. He has designed two lightings for Modernista: the Emil chandelier and Emílie standing light, both made from hand-brushed brass and folded wax paper. Thanks to this combination of materials and their uniquely original morphology referencing the aesthetics of the First Czechoslovak Republic, these lightings not only provide light but also function as stand-alone aesthetic objects. “Modernista is exceptional in its craftsmanship. I was thus very careful to reflect these characteristics in the objects, so that the collections would be up to par with works by the leading designers already included in Modernista’s portfolio,” says Jiří.

The fusion of Modernista and Jiří Krejčiřík is a glowing example of another successful collaboration between a traditional producer and the young blood of contemporary design. The new collections of dimming lights use LED technology and provide an interesting color gradient while merging historical style and contemporary legacy, all without resorting to overt citation and without a trace of nostalgic pathos.

Petra Cieslar