Roman’s creative journey began with a car accident. At the moment of the accident, a branch fell onto his windshield, and for a split second, he saw an image or a face in the cracks. Later, while replacing the windshield, he remembered that vision but could no longer make out anything in the cracks. He forgot about the accident for a while. Then one day, he became determined to find out what that vision could have been, even though he did not know how to properly phrase the search query online.

He admits that he does not believe in signs from fate or hints from the universe. Still, he agrees that every cloud has a silver lining. If the accident had never happened, he would not have discovered his talent. He would not be using it today to earn a living and to introduce Belarusians to a completely new form of contemporary art.



Interestingly, the number of artists who work with broken glass can be counted on one hand. In Belarus, Roman is the only one, unless someone else simply has not come forward yet.

How did he learn this technique? No one in the world shares their expertise, offers master classes, or teaches courses. Roman simply picked up a hammer, laid a piece of glass in front of him, and started striking it. After two years of practice, the first portrait emerged from the cracks.

«In any craft, a keen eye is essential,» he believes. «If you carefully observe details and try to reproduce them, you can achieve results. The main thing is not to start with money on your mind. When creativity comes from an inner impulse, it turns out authentic.»

He never sketches a design for a future painting. He only outlines a few areas, such as where the nose and eyes will be. This art is full of pitfalls, he assures. He creates his works on multi layered black glass, known as triplex, because ordinary glass shatters into tiny fragments upon impact.



According to him, you can only roughly predict how a crack will develop. Then the glass seems to tell you what to do. It sets the conditions, and you interact with it.

«Colleagues from other countries make displays of 5 to 10 meters at most. But I want something grand, a 50 meter long installation!» Roman Bondar shares his dream. «It could be a face, a logo, or a symbolic image, one that reflects the essence of the building or the country where it will be placed.»

Roman Bondar is featured in the newest episode of BelTA’s project Belarusians in the Focus. We spoke with him to learn how chance unlocked his remarkable creative ability and why broken glass, supposedly an omen of misfortune, is nothing more than a stereotype.