”A sculptor in a glass house” – this was the response from the renowned Danish sculptor and professor at The Royal Academy of Art, Bjørn Nørgaard, when he accepted Glasmuseet Ebeltoft’s invitation to stage the museum’s 25th anniversary exhibition. However the title he came up with for the exhibition was Glass Mad. As indicated by the title the exhibition’s scenography is slightly mad in terms of materials used to display the works in the show – a combination of glass, plaster, felt and steel. The works to be exhibited are all part of the museum’s permanent collection.
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft is a unique museum for international contemporary glass. Over a period of 25 years, the museum has proved to the outside world that art is being created in workshops around the world. With the anniversary exhibition guests are given a rare opportunity to experience glass art and discover the broad range of expressions and techniques, which characterize contemporary glass over the last 40 years.
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft was founded in 1986 on the initiative of Finn Lynggaard, who is one of the studio glass artist pioneers. During the first 20 years, the museum was housed in the old customs house from 1920. In 2006, the museum was expanded with a new wing and a larger glass studio. Among the first artists who supported the museum by donating works to the collection, are legendary pioneers such as Kyohei Fujita (Japan), Harvey K. Littleton (USA), Dale Chihuly (USA), Sybren Valkema (The Netherlands), Åsa Brandt (Sweden), Ann Wolff (Germany/Sweden), Bertil Vallien (Sweden), Klaus Moje (Germany/Australia), Lino Tagliapietra (Italy) and many, many more.
Today the internationally acclaimed collection numbers more than 1500 works donated or deposited by 700 artists from 48 countries. The collection represents a broad range of techniques and artistic expressions from heavy sculptures in cast glass to blown objects, panels and mixed media pieces.
Studio glass – contemporary glass
Glasmuseet is rooted in the international Studio glass movement, which arose in USA in the 1960’s and extended to Europe, Australia and Japan throughout the 1970’s and 1980’s. With Harvey Littleton’s and Dominic Labino’s (USA) development of the small one-man’s furnace in 1962, it became possible to work with glass in smaller workshops, called “studios” – and the studio glass movement was born. With the liberation of glass from large glass factories and their industrialized production, new artistic forms appeared and a widely branched network of glassmakers, who explored the material and its possibilities and exchanged their findings at international seminars and workshops. It was Finn Lynggaard, who introduced Studio glass in Denmark in the 1970’s. Today contemporary glass is still characterized by the unification of craftsman and artist in one person, which was at the core of the historical studio glass movement. However, craftsmanship has grown much stronger amongst glass makers, and their works are characterised by great artistic inventiveness and a vast variation in techniques and form.
Glass Mad – the exhibition
The anniversary exhibition presents a large selection of works from the Permanent Collection. Behind the design of the show and selection of works is one of the most significant persons in Danish art: sculptor and professor at The Royal Danish Academy of Art, Bjørn Nørgaard (b. 1947). Bjørn Nørgaard has completed numerous public works in Denmark and abroad. Among his latest are ”Kærlighedsøen” (the Love Island) in Ørestaden, Copenhagen (2000-2010), the housing project Bispebjerg Bakke (1997-2007), a large sculpture at Odense Railway station (2002-05) and the impressive historical tapestry for the Danish queen (1988-2000). In his sculpural experiments and happenings, Bjørn Nørgaard has often included glass. He has also chosen glass as the material for the sarcophagues, he has designed to stand in Roskilde Cathedral for HM the Queen of Denmark and HRH the Prince Consort. For the set design of the anniversary exhibition, Bjørn Nørgaard has used various materials – plaster, steel, felt and glass as a background for the works. In the new wing the multitude of the collection is shown as the rich treasure trove it is, while in the old building, single works are positioned in a more classic set up.
Glassified – the book
In connection with the 25th anniversary, the museum will publish a 168 page lavish book titled Glassified. The main author is writer and art critic, Niels Houkjær.
The book will be available for purchase at the museum from 19th June.
The exhibition will be opened on 14th May 2011 by director of The Danish Design Museum, Bodil Busk Laursen.
In connection with the exhibition Glasmuseet has arranged two special events on Sunday 15th May:
at 10am: Talk by Ann Wolff, Germany/Sweden (The talk will be conducted in English)
at 11am: Demo in the studio by master blower Lino Tagliapietra, Italy
Press photos in high resolution can be downloaded here.
