BOMMA Shines A Light on Traditional Czech Glasswork
The lighting design firm has teamed up with AM Studio to bring their craftsmanship to Toronto
Lighting matters. It leads to the understanding of what is around us and what we see. Light alters moods, soothes or excites our senses, affects everything on this planet directly. Light moves at, well, the speed of itself, but other things cannot be rushed, like the skill and craftsmanship at BOMMA to shape molten glass. This is especially true when the glass weighs in at 22 kilograms and the process involves several people moving in synchronization with little tolerance for misstep.
AM Studio owners Giora and Orly Meyer curate their showroom meticulously. They are serious about the product lines and design systems they represent. All are inventive, sculptural and serve the purpose of adding more than just light to a room. Absorbing their design district studio needs time and stillness. Each piece is quite astounding in concept and finished product. The studio’s display of BOMMA lights needs to be seen to be fully appreciated.
The scale, size and presence of the pieces are impactful and soulful. And for the larger fixtures, when you see the glassblowers in the company’s studio in the Czech Republic, you can truly appreciate the enormous strength and effort required to blow glass at this scale. All of BOMMA’s crystal pieces are hand-made one at a time.
Founded in 2012, BOMMA continues the traditional Czech glassmaking craft, taking it to new, modern heights. When a famed Czech glass factory shut down after 100 years of production, BOMMA founder Jiri Trtik jumped at the chance to reignite the space with his company’s innovative glasswork.
Recognizing the specialness of these lights, AM Studio has positioned itself as the top-selling showroom for the brand in North America, and second in the world.
Their deep connection with the Czech atelier is evident by the passion with which they speak about them. AM Studio is a family business in every way, starting out as a metal and glass studio in the backyard of Andreas and Esther Meyer in Israel decades ago. Fastforward to 2007 when Giora and Orly moved with their three young children to Toronto and opened up AM Studio catering to designers, homeowners, and commercial clients alike.
They sell bespoke lighting by glass blower Karli Sears, ceramicist Bill Reddick, and also sell customizable modern lights from BOMMA, Lasvit, Brokis, Vibia and Siemon & Salazar. Taking modern glass design and mixing it with their artistic and architectural backgrounds, the couple has grown the showroom into a symphony of unique offerings – their own rendition of the family business.
