academic sculptor Zbyněk Fojtů

How did you get to designing coins and medals?

In 2002 I for the first time participated in the Czech National Bank’s design competition for a commemorative coin to the 100th anniversary of death of explorer Emil Holub. I got the terms of the competition from painter and medallist Zdeněk Marčík because he knew I did embossing.

Do you remember your first design for Czech Mint?

I think it was for the medal “Předsednictví ČR v Radě Evropské unie“ (Czech Republic’s Presidency of the EU Council) in 2009.

Do you know how many designs you created during your career?

I do not keep files of my models but from 2002 when I started taking part in the Czech National Bank’s competitions almost regularly, their number definitely exceeded one hundred.

Which work for Czech Mint pleased you most, which do you like best to remember?

Almost every job pleases me, but most of all I enjoyed working on the medal “135 let zahájení provozu první pražské tramvaje“ (135 years from the opening of operation of the first Prague tram).

What themes do you prefer?

I do not have any favourite theme, although history and technology are probably closest to my heart.

Where do you find inspiration for your works and where do you create them?

It changes with age, earlier I was maybe more sensitive to various impulses. Now I am happy when I have time for work and there is calm and quiet; to tell the truth I have a feeling that there is less and less of both. Then – when I can concentrate on work – I am able to find inspiration. Best of all I like working in my studio in Černošice.

Do you have a secret dream, is there something you would like to achieve and what would you describe as the peak in a medallist’s career?

Secret dreams should remain secret, shouldn’t they? But to be more specific, I don’t have any such dreams and I don’t know how to answer the last question.

2016