Transforming Tradition: Innovations in Contemporary Glass
Waves of Contemporary Art: Introduction
Water is an element that is forever, timeless. Dictionary.com defines water as “a colorless, transparent, odorless, tasteless liquid that forms the seas, lakes, rivers, and rain and is the basis of the fluids of living organisms”2. This element is as natural of a connection to the world as one can get, therefore, it is no wonder that interpretations of it are frequently synonymous within glasswork.
Dale Chihuly, a renowned contemporary glass artist continually explores and reinterprets the history and culture of glass, developing new forms of art so that viewers can experience a sense of water-based representations. In Chihuly the Artist: Breathing Life into Glass, Timothy Burgard explains in his interview with Chihuly that when it comes to the art of glassblowing and the way in which Chihuly views himself as an artist; he states; “one can only wonder what kind of genius thought of blowing human breadth down a metal tube. Molten blobs of glass are made from some of the simplest and most natural materials in the world, silica and sand, which can be transformed by means of fire and water”.1
Artists in general, but more particularly contemporary glass artists, have this instinctual need to create. Nature inspired concepts, especially water. Water is perhaps the most universally accepted truths in the glass art world because of its formlessness, whereas, glass is a liquid solid that can be shaped to take on many unique 3-dimensional forms, such as: jewelry, marbles, installations, vessels and sculptures. Sometimes it is the 2-dimensional inspirations of other mediums that trigger it, but the root of this cascading effect is deeply imbedded in the natural world itself. This is why the universal symbology of water can be translated into various forms in glass – they all are linked by nature and interpretations of the world that can be shaped by the hands of an artist.
In The Place of Elements, John Fraim explains further why water is an inspiration to artists; water is an element that symbolizes the raw naturalistic characteristics and the way in which it adapts to any environment naturally.3 Water, artistically conceptualizes rebirth and formlessness, which makes it possible to be manipulated in any glass form. Because it is the source of life, this element also symbolizes regeneration and regression. Universally, all of our artists view water as an experimental ingredient that is able to test and push boundaries in terms of reflection, gravitational force, and the dichotomy between fire and water as a metaphor. Fire and water are two elements that are important to glass making, metaphorically and literally both elements creates life to these vessels, sculptures, jewelry, and other pieces of 3D works.
Burgard’s interview with Chihuly gives a universal explanation of the inspiration behind water; “The duality of water, which can appear solid and permanent, liquid and changeable, and vaporous and ephemeral, exemplifies the concept of transience. When you’re working with transparent materials, when you’re looking at glass, plastic, ice, or water, you’re looking at light itself. The light is coming through, and you see that cobalt blue, that ruby red, whatever the color might be—you’re looking at the light and the colors mix together. Something magical and mystical, something we don’t understand, nor should we care to understand”.1 Using water as a medium in this sense and in the view of contemporary glass art enables a creation of new life and reinterpreting it into a quintessence.
Our case study is not just about water, it is the idea of it, stabilizing its purpose, and representing it in a manner that is captivating to the eye. It’s like taking its natural form and solidifying its formlessness and versatility. Each selected artist is able achieve and create this sense of abstraction and realistic growth within glass art. Water is a metaphorical symbol that artists use for inspiration and expression. This natural elemental form is being transformed into something that is difficult to visually conceptualize - its force, power, and beauty into a still piece. Because water is always moving due to its fluidity, the only way to keep it from doing so is to create artwork that conceptualizes and be inspired from it. It’s like taking a still photograph or 2D piece and putting into 3D. Kaufman, the author of Why Inspiration Matters describes the role of waters as a means of inspiration as a way to awaken artists to new possibilities by allowing them to transcend their ordinary experiences, skills and limitations.4 It propels artists from apathy to possibility, and transforms the way they perceive their own capabilities. This is key because inspiration in this sense is activated, captured, and manipulated, and it has major effects on their works outcomes. He explains that the “link between inspiration and creativity is consistent with the transcendent aspect of inspiration, since creativity involves seeing possibility beyond existing constraints.”4 This means that inspiration is the springboard for creativity. The fact that water is the overall concept and is transformed from an idea to a physical 3D form – artistically and conceptually, boundaries are continuously being pushed in the glass world.
1. Burgard, Timothy Anglin. “Chihuly the Artist: Breathing Life into Glass” 2008. Accessed 15 Apr. 2015.
2. "Definition of Water." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
3. Fraim, John. "Symbolism.Org: Symbolism of Place: 7. The Place of Elements." Accessed 15 Apr. 2015.
4. Kaufman, Scott Barry. "Why Inspiration Matters." Harvard Business Review. Harvard Business Publishing, 8 Nov. 2011. Accessed 15 Apr. 2015.