Jan Kaplický

For twenty long years, an extraordinary object has been hiding unnoticed on Italy's Lago di Como. A work called Acquae, which materializes the idea of the world-famous architect Jan Kaplický about the future of bottled water consumption in public spaces. Until 2024, it was only seen by visitors to the Triennale di Milano and the 9th Biennale di Venezia in Venice. After that, Acquae was hidden from public view. Was it a lucky coincidence? It was an inevitable fate. After two decades of resting in obscurity, the steel drop was noticed during a visit to Milan by the renowned British architect Lord Norman Foster, who was linked to Jan Kaplicky not only by profession but also by friendship. His discovery began to write a new, happier chapter in the story of Acquae. After negotiations with the manufacturer of the installation, it was decided that Jan Kaplický's object would return to the Czech Republic. Many thanks to Eliška Kaplický Fuchsová, founder of the Kaplicky Centre Foundation, who guaranteed its safe transport to the Czech Republic. This was arranged by Art Lines. The reconstruction of the work was undertaken by the sculptor Lukáš Rais, who with his team restored it to its original lustre over a period of four months. Now Acquae stands before you again in its original splendour, as a legacy of a Czech visionary whose work changed the way we look at the essence of modern architecture. And thanks to you, it will not fall into oblivion.