The text presents plate glass as a typical Anthropocene object that reflects and challenges modernist ideals. Glass, a symbol of transparency and progress, is analysed in terms of its technological development, ecological impact and cultural symbolism. The essay deals with the paradoxes of glass, which both connects and separates – it enables human contact with nature, but also creates barriers, for example in the form of the “glass ceiling”, symbolizing gender inequalities. The text mentions ecological consequences, such as the deaths of birds hitting glass surfaces, and calls for a new look at the relationship between humans, nature and other beings. Glass is presented here as a key phenomenon of the Anthropocene, reflecting the contradictory nature of human presence on Earth.
Authors: Jana Jobbiková, Ľuboš Slovák, Sabina Vassileva