More Than Just a Trophy

In Jiří Frič's hands, a traditional symbol transforms into distinctive sculptural objects whose significance extends far beyond the material itself.

Jiří Frič's Trophy in a club interior. Interior visualization; setting is illustrative.

What exactly is a trophy? And what does this concept mean to each of us?

Sculptor MgA. Jiří Frič does not perceive a trophy merely as a symbol of victory or spoils. For him, it is also a symbol of an exceptional moment, a memory, or a personal story worth commemorating. The diversity of these meanings inspired him to create the original collection Trophies. Every story is different, and the meaning we assign to its symbol can be just as personal.

Jiří Frič with his monumental Trophy. Original photograph of the artist with the work.

The Concept Behind the Collection

What Can Be a Trophy?

A trophy can commemorate a moment that was significant to us – and each person can interpret it differently.

When we hear the word ‘trophy,’ many of us picture antlers or another part of a hunted animal. Such a concept is not particularly close to Jiří Frič’s approach. But why couldn’t a trophy commemorate, for example, an exceptional encounter with a living creature in nature, without us having to take anything from it?

Jiří Frič therefore reimagines and elevates this familiar motif – through material, forms, and narrative. With reverence for life and the value of a lived moment, but also with subtle irony. He leaves the story hidden behind each individual trophy open to interpretation.

Form, Material, Author's Signature

From Idea to Steel

Even a minimalist expression does not mean simple work.

For his trophies, Frič chose stainless steel, which he perceives as a noble material. It is strong, durable, and stable; polished to a mirror shine, it also captures light, the surrounding space, and the viewer’s movement. The sculpture then never appears the same, even though its form does not change.

Equally important is its creation process. Jiří Frič personally creates his trophies, from finding proportions and assembling lines to the details of joints, grinding, and polishing. It is precisely in the seemingly obvious curve that every detail matters. His experience stems from studying fine arts and scenography, as well as years of working with space and metal. The result is signed original artworks with a certificate of origin. There is a subtle similarity to the memory a trophy is meant to evoke: just as no one else could have experienced a certain encounter for us, the journey from the initial idea to the final form is not merely a technical task for the artist.

Work in the studio – manual exploration of proportions and forms for the Trophy collection. Original photograph.

Arches – two lines and the space between them.

Trophy on the Edge – tension of an open form.

Seven Forms of One Theme

Forms Hint, Story Remains Untold

Each of Jiří Frič’s trophies possesses its own unique forms, character, and potential meaning. The monumental Trophy on an oak pedestal finds its place in gardens and architecture; in 2024, it was exhibited at the ČSOB headquarters. The small trophy on granite offers a more intimate scale, and Trophy of a Young Woman handles a familiar motif with subtly provocative humor.

Trophy Behind You offers a changing relationship of lines from different perspectives, while Trophy on the Edge can evoke an idea of tension and balance. Arches and Large Arches demonstrate how many different expressions open curves can achieve.

Jiří Frič's Monumental Trophy at the ČSOB headquarters in Prague, 2024 – original exhibition photograph.

Works from the Collection

Eight Trophies, Eight Stories