Šípkovo úmrtí je podle osobností ztrátou pro českou kulturu

Prague - Personalities contacted by ČTK perceive the death of the world-renowned artist, architect, and designer Bořek Šípek as a great loss for Czech culture. He passed away this morning after a serious illness at the age of 66. Experts appreciated both Šípek's international artistic contribution and his many years of pedagogical activity. They also remember him as a kind companion and an unconventional person with great nobility. Minister of Culture Daniel Herman told ČTK that he received the news of his passing with deep personal sorrow, as he knew Šípek well.

"I value that he was part of my advisory group. I consulted with him not only about views on Czech culture but on life in general. His death affected me even more because I was coincidentally supposed to open his exhibition today at the Museum of Jan Amos Comenius in Naarden. Together with him," reacted Herman. He highly valued his work, creations, and life attitudes.

He regrets that they will not realize one of the projects they were planning together, namely the creation of Šípek's candlestick for the baroque chapel in the Nostitz Palace, where the Ministry of Culture is located. "I express my deep condolences to all the bereaved," he added.

Politician Karel Schwarzenberg also received the news of Šípek's death with sadness. They had been friends for over 30 years, having met at Šípek's lecture in Vienna. "We cared for each other, and I will miss him terribly. It is truly the end of a beautiful friendship. Not that I always agreed with his opinions; in some artistic matters, we had completely opposite views, but he was a recognized person worldwide. He was someone who transcended the borders of the Czech basin," stated Schwarzenberg.

"In Bořek Šípek, Czech culture loses not only an internationally renowned artist, architect, and effectively the court architect of Václav Havel, but also the Czech cultural community and friends of Václav Havel, including the Václav Havel Library of a friend, buddy, and person who will be greatly missed," said the director of Havel's library, Michael Žantovský, to ČTK.

Šípek was the palace architect during the presidency of Václav Havel. He was also responsible for the appearance of the Václav Havel Benches, which have been erected in various places around the world in recent years.

Architectural historian Zdeněk Lukeš noted Šípek's distinctive design style, which fit into the new trend of the 70s and 80s known as postmodernism. As a result, he collaborated with world-renowned fashion salons, designing interiors of fashion stores, jewelry, furniture, and various design items. "At that time, he was among the absolute global elite," emphasized Lukeš.

According to him, the truth is that later he somewhat stagnated in development, which was probably due to the fact that people liked his design. Šípek's peak period stretched from the 1970s to the end of the last century, after which he was further considered a classic. "He was an excellent teacher. He was very friendly with students, but on the other hand, he commanded enormous respect from them," he added.

From 2005 to 2012, he was the dean of the Faculty of Art and Architecture of the Technical University in Liberec and was instrumental in establishing a new field of study in environmental design. Liberec was the first in Europe where this field started to be taught independently. His name also raised the social prestige of the Design department, even outside the Czech Republic, said university spokesperson Jaroslava Kočárková.

Professor Šípek was, according to dean Zdeněk Franěk, who succeeded him at the head of the faculty in 2012, a modest person despite his fame. "It will be hard to find a replacement for him. But we must ensure that we maintain the level he brought to the field of study," he said.

According to the spokesperson of the Czech Chamber of Architects, Zuzana Hošková, Šípek significantly contributed to the popularization of Czech architecture and artistic craftsmanship, not only at home but also abroad. Given the wide scope of his work, he represented an exceptional figure in the artistic scene that will be missed in the Czech environment, she noted.

"That man was gifted by God. His inventions were not something that could be taught. I was glad that he worked his way to glass. Not just glassmaking, but design in general lost a precious person," added František Novosad, the owner of the Harrachov glassworks.