Uranium glass is one of the central elements in Rony’s work. It appears both in his art works as well as in his product design. The uranium reacts to ultraviolet radiation, and the sculptures literally glow in the dark, creating a magical effect. Uranium glass has been produced in Bohemia since the Baroque period, but due to the difficult fabrication process hardly anyone works with it in this way anymore. Thorn is part of a wider series exploring the connection of nature, the human body, and the Christian tradition. The sculpture is supposed to evoke a crown of thorns. The topic of spirituality is very important for Rony, and his monumental sculptures often materialize visually striking sacred objects.

Rony Plesl (* 1965) is among the foremost Czech glass artists and designers. In his art, he specializes in the use of fused glass sculpture and uranium glass, for which he employs the unique Vitrum Vivum technology. He has designed for companies such as Cartier, Barovier & Toso, Bomma, Moser, Pilsner Urquell, Rückl, Sahm and many others. Since 2008, he has directed the Glass and Ceramics Studio at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. Plesl’s works are represented in public and private collections both in Czechia and abroad. He has received many awards for his work, including the Good Design Award (2019, 2013, 2010), Red Dot Award (2019, 2007) or the Czech Grand Design award (2011).

The Vitrum Vivum glassmaking technology is a unique process which consists in casting glass as if it were bronze, giving the artist complete artistic freedom and control over the creative process. It can work with models made of paper, plaster or even objects found in nature, which ultimately become artefacts in themselves. Developed over the last twelve years by Czech glass-master and inventor Jiří Šín, the Vitrum Vivum technology reveals a new world of possibilities for the glassmaking field.