Borek Sipek

BOŘEK ŠÍPEK (Prague, 1949–2016), for Val Saint Lambert.
“Vlad d’Ouwelet,” 1990.
Centerpiece / glass sculpture.
Cut glass, clear and green.
Limited edition, no. 24/75.
Signed, dated, and numbered. With Val Saint Lambert label.
Measurements: 26 x 20 x 20 cm.

Sculptural centerpiece designed by Borek Sipek for Val Saint Lambert, a historic Belgian firm specializing in artistic glass. The piece combines an architectural base of transparent glass with an upper section in green glass, rendered through faceted planes and open forms that evoke a flower, a crown, or a fantastical, expanding structure.

The design is fully in keeping with Sipek’s artistic language, characterized by postmodern sensibilities, formal theatricality, and a free reinterpretation of the decorative arts. The piece plays with the hallmarks of transparency and color, between geometry and ornamental gesture, transforming glass into an expressive, almost scenographic material. The faceted cut intensifies the reflections and endows the piece with a remarkable richness of light.

Borek Sipek was a Czech architect and designer, a leading figure in European postmodern design. He developed a highly personal body of work in furniture, glass, decorative objects, and interior design, characterized by exuberant forms, Baroque references, and a keen attention to craftsmanship. He collaborated with firms such as Driade, Vitra, and Val Saint Lambert, and served as architect for Prague Castle during Václav Havel’s presidency.