The architect and designer Jan Padrnos mainly became famous for his designs of minimalist and inventive furniture. He graduated from the Czech Technical University in Prague and then worked several years as interior architect for the company Ahrend – Professional Interiors. He subsequently realized some of his visions of furniture design in his native city of Třebíč against the background of a family company. The most significant turning point and at the same time a substantial step towards his professional career, however, was the establishment of the company Blackbox in 2000. The studio Blackbox specializes in providing wide variety of services in the field of design and architecture. The piece and small-series production of furniture and accessories is based on a unique design when every item is numbered and signed. Jan Padrnos works extensively with horizontal and verticals, his designs are airy and in spite of using such materials as stainless steel or, on the contrary, corroded metal, feel light. Other Padrnos’s materials are wood, glass and the favorite corian. The designer’s furniture does not deny an inspiration by Purism, Minimalism and Constructivism, which also corresponds with his apparent aversion to ornamental forms and décor. Padrnos exhibited at numerous shows of modern design under the label of the studio Blackbox, and his works were part of several collections of Czech design presented at exhibitions in Vienna, Brussels, Essen and other cities. Padrnos also uses his own furniture designs in his architectonic solutions which are characteristic of humor, simplicity, functionality and, at the same time, elegance. He is, however, not afraid to articulate an otherwise clean building by an unusual façade, wood paneling or sheet metal. Although Padrnos runs his own studio, he does not deny invitations to collaborate with other brands as, for example, the resurrected Uměleckoprůmyslové závody (Art Industry Enterprises) for which he designed the sofa “Couple” and the table “Heavy Sky” with stainless steel legs.
Jan Padrnos
* 1967, Kutná Hora, Czech Republic
Education
Czech Technical University in Prague, Czech Republic
Collections
Moravian Gallery Brno, Czech Republic
Museum of Decorative Art Prague, Czech Republic
Solo Exhibitions
2000 | „Pod svicnem tma“
2002 | Nenuceny vysek aneb zavery 1. petiletky
2007 | GESAMTKUNSTWERK V 21. STOLETI. Architektonicke dilo a design v harmonickém sepeti.
2009 | V ulite i jinak
Group Exhibitions
2000
Designblok 00
2001
Designblok 01
2002
Biennale internationale design Saint-Étienne
Inspirace 2002
2003
"Prirustky sbirek UPM v letech 1992-2003"
"Pro kazdy den"
Designblok 03
SaloneSatellite 2003
art&interior04
Inspirace 2003
2004
Maxim Velcovsky - Designblok 04
Designstory´04
2005
Sny - cesty - realita: Czech Design 1990–2005
Designblok 05
Czech Design 1990-2005
Czech this out!
2006
Designblok 06
Sny - cesty - realita: Czech Design 1990–2005
2007
Designblok 07
Von Traum zur Realität: Tschechisches Design 1990 – 2005
2008
Designblok 08