- Maanasi Sridhar
Photo Gallery: Corning Museum of Glass
"Nearly 50,000 objects representing more than 3,500 years of history are represented in their galleries." Here are few photos from my visit, if you'd like to see.
FERN GREEN TOWER — Dale Chihuly (American, b.1941); United States, Seattle, Washington, made in 1999 and reconfigured in 2013; Blown glass; steel structure. "What I like about the Tower is the massing of color and the way that light interacts with the color to create energy. Glass is a unique material, and it is a continuing source of inspiration for me. It is transparent, translucent, and opaque—anything you want it to be. And you can make form with your own, human breath. Just think about how mysterious that whole process is." — Dale Chihuly (info: Corning Museum of Glass).
When Lightening Blooms, from the Aesthetic Engineering Series; Ginny Ruffner (American, b.1952), with the assistance of Kait Rhoads (American, b.1968), Nancy Callan (American, b.1964), and Mark Stevens (American, b.1958); Made in the United States, Seattle, Washington, 2006 Blown glass; bronze, stainless steel, hot-worked, cut, welded, joined, bent; "What if lightening had a "gene" to bloom? Artists draw inspiration from a variety of sources, but for Ginny Ruffner, it's always the question, What if? After learning about developments in genetic engineering, she became fascinated with the idea of hybridizing things that do and don't have genes. When Lightening Blooms highlights the qualities of heat, light, and speed —the momentary aspects of lightening —and shapes them into a permanent flower. The sculpture depicts lightening as a creative , rather than destructive, force." (info: Corning Museum of Glass).
13 CROWS — Michael Rogers (American, b.1955); Made in Japan, Seto, Aichi, 2002; Cast glass, lampblack; Japanese newspaper, glue, steel wire. "While living in Japan,Micheal Rogers observed the bodies of crows hanging in fileds intended to scare pff other crows and protect crops. The crow has been both a symbol of foreboding and of craftiness throughout history. The 13 birds in this sculpture are covered in words from Japanese newspapers, which may convey good news or bad." (info: Corning Museum of Glass).
Glass for Indian Palaces: "International expositions, also known as world's fairs, allowed nations to exhibit craftsmanship, creativity, and new technologies. Dazzling displays of glass particularly attracted customers form India. This new audience motivated European manufacturers to produce large glass chandeliers, candelabra, fountains, and furniture that were specifically designed for the palaces of the maharajahs in India. Between about 1860 and 1920, furniture of this type was produced by English firms such as F. & C. Osler for export to India." (info:Corning Museum of Glass).
Evening Dress With Shawl— Karen LaMonte (American, b.1967); Czech Republic, Zelezny Brod, 2004; Mold-melted, cut, ground, and polished. (info: Corning Museum of Glass).
ON EXTREME FRAGILITY (Homage to Blaschka) — Anne Poirier(French, b.1942) and Patrick Poirier(French, b.1942) With the assistance of Pino Signoretto(Italian, b.1944); Made in Italy, Murano 2003; Blown, hot-worker glass. "Three petals, three stamens, and a pistil appear as if they have fallen from a giant lily, although no specific flower is intended. One of the petals bears the faint inscription "Heartbeat" and another, " Fragility." The delicacy of the glass flowers is reminiscent of the transitory nature of life, which can be vibrant one minute and gone the next." (info: Corning Museum of Glass).
CARRONA (CARRION) — Javier Perez (Spanish, b.1968); Made in Italy, Murano, 2011."This provocative sculpture evokes opportunistic birds eating carrion in a pool of blood by the side of the road, a metaphor for the decline of Murano's centuries-old glass industry. Javier Perez often submits his material to high-risk situations, such as shattering this chandelier—disturbing in a museum, which continually strives for the preservation of its artwork.(info: Corning Museum of Glass).
Liza Lou (American, b.1969), Continuous Mile, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, Republic of South Africa, and Los Angeles, Calif., 2006-2008.
With the help of experienced glassworkers you can create your own glass project using methods such as: hot glass-working, flame-working, fusing or sandblasting.
Location: Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY
Photos: Maanasi & Sri