Magical Art
of Glass
Glass artist Peter Kuchler III is providing one of his internationally sought-after, light-infused, sophisticated glass sculptures for the anniversary charity auction at Park Hyatt Vienna.
Text: CLAUDIO HONSAL
Photos: FOTO FALLY
Incorporating art in all its forms into daily life is one of the core principles of Hyatt Hotels world-wide. Park Hyatt Vienna also features numerous artworks that offer guests and visitors much to admire. From the art gallery on the wall in The Bank Bar to the ornaments of the Wiener Werkstätten in all the rooms, the collaboration with glass artist Peter Kuchler fits perfectly into this concept.
Two years ago, the prestigious Forbes magazine named him one of the “most exciting artists in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.” In February 2024, he was honored with a solo exhibition at the important art fair “Art at the Park” in Park Hyatt Vienna. His glass artworks, inspired by Klimt, Kandinsky, or Andy Warhol, are usually sold before they are even publicly displayed. The quiet town of Weigelsdorf in Lower Austria, located 40 kilometers southeast of Vienna, has suddenly become synonymous with refined glass sculptures in the international collectors’ scene.
At 33 years old, Peter Kuchler III, with his unique creations featuring characteristic, mysteriously mystical light effects, has long become a superstar of the art scene. “I was discovered by galleries and museums in Melbourne, Miami, Stockholm, Holland, and Frankfurt,” he says. “Recently, 25 sculptures went to a gallery in Miami, 20 to a gallery in Paris, and five to Ascona in Switzerland.”
In short: The Lower Austrian has little time for a comfortably cozy artist’s life. The well-filled order books need to be processed, and then there’s a physical aspect: The art creation style of Peter Kuchler III, who was born into a glass dynasty in 1991, is a tough job. “I was born to work with glass. However, I chose the most forceful way – the liquid glass.”
His objects weigh up to 25 kilograms, and the artist models the liquid, 1200 degrees Celsius hot material with his hands, protected as best as possible from burns. Kuchler learned the high art of glassmaking from the best masters in Sweden, America, and Italy before adopting his own techniques for his unique pieces. A deep insight into the glass art of the Kuchler dynasty can be gained in Weigelsdorf at the glass museum and the neighboring art gallery
BIOGRAPHY
PETER KUCHLER, born in 1991 in Lower Austria, is the third generation of a glass dynasty. After training in the family business and apprenticeships with glass artists in Sweden, America, and Italy, he returned to Weigelsdorf with his refined techniques and began shaping his objects from liquid glass in the family-owned workshop. These objects not only inspire admiration and astonishment in the art scene but have also made Kuchler one of the most sought-after artists in the German-speaking area.
