Ondřej Géla

Ondřej Géla – Světluška, author: Bohumil Rosenkranz

Metal symposium 2018

We went on a trip to Moravia to attend “Hefaiston” – the most important meeting of artist-blacksmiths in the Czech Republic (maybe even in Europe) at Helfštýn Castle – hoping to draw new inspiration. Jan Lauro, organiser of "Hefaiston", was very busy but still had time to introduce us to Ondřej Géla, who had created a wonderful chessboard at “Hefaiston”. We invited him to the Symposium and he tentatively agreed to come.

A few weeks later, we talked to David Szalay and he too recommended Ondřej Géla even without knowing him personally, just based on the quality of his work. These two recommendations were certainly enough for us to want Ondřej Géla to become a participant in the 6th Metal Symposium. Fortunately, he agreed.

At the Symposium, blacksmiths do not have to follow any theme. However, Ondřej Géla got very interested in this year's theme intended for woodcarvers – “Freedom” – and decided he would create something related to this topic. He designed a beautiful lamp with thick bottom branches and thin fragile ones at the top, resembling a tree or maybe a woman. He was also the first blacksmith to ask if he could have some parts of the statue shaped on a CNC machine. We agreed, because it was a new experience for us.

He made intensive use of the power hammer which is in the possession of the Secondary Technical School. The very next day he was able to say how the hammer worked, based on its sound only. He told us he had six power hammers in his own workshop, each of them with a unique soul and used for different jobs.

Today, his wonderful work stands in the Adult Department of the City Library. Ondřej also gave us a framed picture of a draft of the lamp and requested that the picture be placed next to the lamp. The “Firefly” helps to create a relaxed atmosphere in which Library visitors can enjoy browsing through books.

Find the artwork on GPS 50.4160550N, 14.9115722E

For more information on this artist see:

http://www.kovarna-milostovice.cz/

https://www.facebook.com/ondrej.gela.9