Sculpture Line Slaný

Works of art have had their place in gardens and parks since time immemorial. They can be an unobtrusive accessory, an extravagant piece of jewellery, a guide, or they can be the central motif, the main reason why a garden space was created. A work of art and its placement in a garden can have a deeply personal meaning, or it can be the result of a meticulously thought-out architectural design. Alexandra Koláčková's works are recognisable at first sight, her handwriting is unmistakable. And yet, or perhaps because of this, they run the narrative line of a given space in so many different directions... They are an ornament, a climbing frame, the centre of a space, a surprise peeking out of the undergrowth, a bench... And this is what I personally really appreciate about Alexandra's work. Most gardens are not just observed, the space is actively used - touching, sitting, lying, walking and rolling are allowed, even welcomed. And so it is with Alexandra Koláček's sculptures. Their rounded, simple and friendly shapes and often larger-than-life size directly invite us to climb them. That's a huge bonus for me as a landscape architect. A garden, and everything in it, should invite a visit, a beckoning finger to explore and discover. And in the case of Alexandra's sculptures, it's often not just a figure of speech, but an actual hand, or indeed a whole body, inviting you to sit, lie down, lean back... whatever you want and whatever comes to mind. And your children, and the visitor, and their children.

Pieces of art have been commonplace in parks and gardens since anyone can remember. They may be a discreet accessory, an extravagant jewel, a guide or a centrepiece of the garden's design – and the main reason for its existence. An art piece and its placement in the garden can have a deeply personal meaning, or it can be the result of a meticulously focused architectural intent. The creations of Alexandra Koláčková are immediately recognizable and her style unmistakable. And yet despite this – or maybe precisely because of this – they set the narration line of the area in motion in so many different ways... They serve as a decorative piece or a climbing frame; they can be the centre of the universe or a tiny surprise hiding under the bench... And that is why I personally value Alexandra's work so much.  Most gardens are not meant to be just observed, but rather used in active ways – their space waiting to be touched, sat on, jogged through... Everything is permitted – even welcome. The same applies to Alexandra Koláčková's sculptures. Their simple, rounded and approachable shapes as well as their larger than life size outright beg to be climbed on. This has a tremendous benefit for a garden architect like me. A garden, with everything in it, should be inviting, welcoming and open to visitors – it should encourage exploration and discovery. In case of Alexandra's sculptures, this is often literally the case, with hands or even whole bodies inviting visitors to sit, lie or rest on them. Whatever they want and whatever they can think of, be it children, their parents or their imagination.

Pieces of art have been commonplace in parks and gardens since anyone can remember. They may be a discreet accessory, an extravagant jewel, a guide or a centrepiece of the garden's design – and the main reason for its existence. An art piece and its placement in the garden can have a deeply personal meaning, or it can be the result of a meticulously focused architectural intent. The creations of Alexandra Koláčková are immediately recognizable and her style unmistakable. And yet despite this – or maybe precisely because of this – they set the narration line of the area in motion in so many different ways... They serve as a decorative piece or a climbing frame; they can be the centre of the universe or a tiny surprise hiding under the bench... And that is why I personally value Alexandra's work so much.  Most gardens are not meant to be just observed, but rather used in active ways – their space waiting to be touched, sat on, jogged through... Everything is permitted – even welcome. The same applies to Alexandra Koláčková's sculptures. Their simple, rounded and approachable shapes as well as their larger than life size outright beg to be climbed on. This has a tremendous benefit for a garden architect like me. A garden, with everything in it, should be inviting, welcoming and open to visitors – it should encourage exploration and discovery. In case of Alexandra's sculptures, this is often literally the case, with hands or even whole bodies inviting visitors to sit, lie or rest on them. Whatever they want and whatever they can think of, be it children, their parents or their imagination.