At the end of the 1990s I was still strongly influenced by the so-called “Hořice Art Nouveau Rodinism” – that is, the work of Art Nouveau sculptors who worked at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries at the famous sculpture school in Hořice in the Podkrkonoší region and left a strong legacy in this town. At the time of my studies at this sculpture school, I was also fascinated by the work of Rodin’s pupils – especially Camille Claudel. Later, while studying in Prague, I was influenced by the ideas and work of my classmates at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague – especially Aleš Bernard, whom I revered as one of my mentors, but also some of Martin Káňa’s works. It was a wild time, when on the one hand I was running away from Brno to return to study in Michal Gabriel’s studio. The sculpture “Speaking” was based on earlier portraits (more like mere studies) of my sister Kristýna, who was my favourite model from the beginning of my studies, but also later on when creating the first yoga-inspired sculptures. “The Talkers” is partly a paraphrase of Camille Claudel’s famous sculpture (Les Causeuses [The Gossips]) and partly a fascination with the sheer detail of the intimacy of a girl’s conversation – gossips. The whole composition is conceived as a child’s game (the heads can be pulled out), also playing with elements of Art Nouveau and Art Deco heritage – the playful stylisation of the heads – reminiscent of teapots is the intention here and a tribute to these motifs of a vanished age.