|
This year sees the 50th anniversary of the American Studio Glass Movement. One of the more underrated and overlooked artistic movements of the 20th century, american artist-designers such as Harvey Littleton and Dominick Labino were instrumental in establishing glass-blowing as a genuine artistic medium. One of the lesser known New York Museums- the Museum of Arts and Design- is holding a celebratory exhibition of glassworks beginning on Valentine’s Day February 14th, and lasting until June 10th. The ‘Glasstress New York’ promises to be an exciting international gathering of glass sculptures produced in Adriano Berengo’s studio in Murano. According to the Museum, the works on display are ‘dramatic and often provocative, ranging from independent sculptures to installations incorporating sounds and light to prototypes for production.’ Berengo and his students orginally commissioned these works for the Venice Biennale in 2009. Whilst Murano is renowned for its historical glass art, the modern techniques and styles used by Berengo and the other artists involved in the exhibition can trace their lineage to the American Glass Movement that began half a century ago. In March 1962, Harvey Littleton held a unique and now iconic one-week glass-blowing workshop at the Toledo Museum of Art. It was the result of several years of work and research that saw his transition from an artist working primarily in the medium of ceramics towards glass. The creation of the American Studio Glass movement after this workshop saw a defining shift in the use of glass in art, that restored the original principles of individual artist-designer-craftsman control over the final piece of art. Prior to the 1960s, glass art had generally been used for decorative purposes, rather than as a principal material for sculpture. One of Littleton’s students on that workshop was Marvin Lipofsky, who went on to teach seminars at the globally renowned Pilchuk Glass School in Stanwood, California. Along with the Corning Museum of Glass, these centers have been influential in training a whole generation of american glass artists, as well as becoming forums of international excellence on glass-blowing as a form of modern art. The exhibition at the Museum of Arts and Design promises to be a fitting tribute to the enduring relevance of glass-blowing in the modern age. Located not far from Columbus Circle in Manhattan, it is an interesting and unique experience for discerning visitors looking for something a little bit different for things to do in New York this Valentine’s Day.
Related Articles -
New, York, Attractions,
| 
