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William Morris: Man Adorned April 6 - July 7, 2002 Museum of Art Theater Throughout his career William Morris, an artist at the forefront of the studio glass movement, has explored issues of origin, myth, and the mysterious worlds of prehistoric cultures. In his Man Adorned series, however, this exploration focuses for the first time on specific and individual human figures, inspired by past or endangered peoples and civilizations. From the earliest times, human adornment with objects or body decoration has been an important part of life. In this selection of 11 works from the 65 sculptures in the Man Adorned series, shields and spears, earrings and beads, and shells and bones adorn figures that evoke the cultures of Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. In these sculptural representations, Morris is less interested in realism or historical accuracy than in conveying the essence of culture or character. These works also attest to Morris's superlative skills as a glassworker. His ability to make blown glass take on the characteristics of bone, skin, wood, metal, and other materials is the result of technical mastery and years of experimentation. This visual transformation speaks to the mystery and magic of glass and enhances the mythical and transcendent nature of Man Adorned. William Morris, one of the most innovative and acclaimed artists working in glass today, began his distinguished career in glassmaking at the world-renowned Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle. He was 20 years old, and his first assignment was as a truck driver and laborer. Morris was soon enlisted as an assistant to Dale Chihuly, Pilchuck's founder and a leading figure in the revolution shaping the role of studio glass in contemporary art. Mentored by Chihuly, Morris became an expert "gaffer" (a master craftsman in charge of a glassworking team) and assumed teaching responsibilities of his own. He was eventually appointed artistic director at the school, a position he left in 1991 to focus on his own work. He remains an artist-in-residence at Pilchuck, where he also maintains a studio. Morris is recognized internationally for both his technical virtuosity and his intellectual inquiry into the mysteries of myth, human origins, and nature. Top |
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Contemporary Directions: Glass from the Maxine and William Block Collection April 6 - July 7, 2002 Heinz Galleries This exhibition presents a unique introduction to studio glass through 62 objects from an important and diverse collection assembled primarily in the last decade of the 20th century. Although a prized material for precious as well as functional objects since ancient times, glass was not a medium explored by individual artists in studio settings until the last half of the 20th century. The special facilities, materials and training required for glassmaking were found only in factories equipped for large-scale production. In 1962, the studio glass movement was born with two experimental workshops presented at the Toledo Museum of Art that demonstrated glass could be worked in small studio settings. In the last 40 years, the facilities and equipment needed for glassworking have become both more sophisticated and available across the country. Best known is the Pilchuck School north of Seattle, which conducted its first workshop in 1971. Most recently, the opening of the Pittsburgh Glass Center in 2001, with significant support from Maxine and William Block, has brought educational opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities for studio glass to this region. Today, the formal concerns raised in discussions of contemporary art in general, such as the relationship of form, mass, proportion, and color, apply equally to glass. The exceptional size of some works parallels a broader interest among contemporary artists to explore and increase scale in their work. Humor, a quality often identified in contemporary art, is particularly apparent in this collection, as well as an interest in representation, ranging from landscape, to the human figure, and three-dimensional still lives of fruit and flowers. The role of glass as a medium for art is well established today as a result of advances in facilities, training, and materials, which have paralleled a general blurring of boundaries and broadening of definitions of what constitutes art in the mainstream art world. The Collectors When Maxine and William Block acquired their first glass objects in 1988, they had been collecting contemporary painting for 40 years. Their goal was modest, a few objects to decorate a glass étagère in their new apartment in Toledo. What began as a simple project launched an odyssey that has produced a major collection of contemporary studio glass with more than 180 objects by more than 110 artists. The Blocks interest in glass was inspired by the two cities where they have business interests, Toledo and Pittsburgh. Both have had a long and significant connection with the glass industry, and Toledo is the birthplace of the studio glass movement in this country. The diversity of works in this exhibition reflects the Blocks' broad approach to the material, rather than any specific intent to develop a comprehensive collection. The collecors generally select an artist's most recent work, and they only purchase works by artists they both like. Initially the Blocks were fascinated by and drawn to glass that reflected light. As their interests and knowledge developed, they became intrigued by artists who focus on content and ideas, as well those who explore the physical qualities of the medium, such as transparency and translucency. Color has remained of critical importance to them and characterizes much of the collection. Several works on view have a notable whimsical quality, which appeals to them personally. "We get a kick out of humor, fantasy, and surprise." [William Block]. Collecting, for the Blocks, has been an adventure fueled by their emotional response to the work and aided by their superb "eye" for the great piece. All of the works on view have either been given or promised to Carnegie Museum of Art and the Toledo Museum of Art. Studio Glass This exhibition presents a unique introduction to studio glass through 62 objects from an important and diverse collection assembled primarily in the last decade of the 20th century. Although a prized material for precious as well as functional objects since ancient times, glass was not a medium explored by individual artists in studio settings until the last half of the 20th century. The special facilities, materials and training required for glassmaking were found only in factories equipped for large-scale production. In 1962, the studio glass movement was born with two experimental workshops presented at the Toledo Museum of Art that demonstrated glass could be worked in small studio settings. In the last 40 years, the facilities and equipment needed for glassworking have become both more sophisticated and available across the country. Best known is the Pilchuck School north of Seattle, which conducted its first workshop in 1971. Most recently, the opening of the Pittsburgh Glass Center in 2001, with significant support from Maxine and William Block, has brought educational opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities for studio glass to this region. Today, the formal concerns raised in discussions of contemporary art in general, such as the relationship of form, mass, proportion, and color, apply equally to glass. The exceptional size of some works parallels a broader interest among contemporary artists to explore and increase scale in their work. Humor, a quality often identified in contemporary art, is particularly apparent in this collection, as well as an interest in representation, ranging from landscape, to the human figure, and three-dimensional still lives of fruit and flowers. The role of glass as a medium for art is well established today as a result of advances in facilities, training, and materials, which have paralleled a general blurring of boundaries and broadening of definitions of what constitutes art in the mainstream art world. Top |
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