Rudolf Burda
The greatest inspiration for me is the universe that is fulfilling my life's credo of being the energy of the big bang, which has neither beginning nor ending. In my work, I'm following a minimalistic legacy and I am searching for the ideal and pure form. My aim is to contribute to the preservation of a 1000 year old tradition of hand-blown glass together with developing and perfecting it.
Born in 1973, Rudolf Burda stands at the intersection of ancient craft and quantum possibility. Working primarily in glass and stainless steel, he creates sculptures that seem to hold the universe within their crystalline depths—forms that speak to our deepest questions about existence, perception, and the nature of reality itself.
Burda's journey began with traditional artistic blacksmithing at the School of Applied Arts in Turnov, Czech Republic, followed by a transformative internship in California that expanded his creative horizons. Since establishing his studio, he has become a master of minimalist expression, pursuing what he calls "the ideal and pure form" while honoring the thousand-year tradition of hand-blown glass.
His work defies simple categorization. Art critic Lenka Lindaurová notes that Burda's pieces exist at "the peculiar junction" between Newtonian simplicity and quantum uncertainty—sculptures that seem to embody multiple states of matter simultaneously. The radiant, multi-layered glass spheres and polished steel forms generate optical illusions that challenge our understanding of what we're actually seeing, creating what curator Miroslava Hajek describes as "hidden layering" that reveals the cosmic forces surrounding everything.
Burda's artistic philosophy is rooted in cosmic wonder: "The greatest inspiration for me is the universe that is fulfilling my life's credo of being the energy of the big bang, which has neither beginning nor ending." This metaphysical approach has earned him recognition across continents, with works represented in prestigious collections from the Czech Republic to the Middle East, Germany to the United States.
The art world has taken notice. Rolls-Royce acquired an entire collection of his work, while LEICA commissioned a five-meter sculpture for their headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany.
What makes Burda's work so compelling is its ability to make the invisible visible. Through glass and steel, he captures something essential about the electromagnetic forces that govern our universe, creating objects that seem to pulse with life energy. His sculptures don't just occupy space—they transform it, inviting viewers into a meditation on the fundamental mysteries of existence while maintaining an austere beauty that speaks to our shared human experience of wonder.
In Burda's hands, glass becomes more than material—it becomes a window into the infinite.