View of Fondazione Berengo Art Space, Campiello della Pescheria 4
Bill just returned from visiting Venice and can give us great insights into how glass is being used in art today by artists from around the world. He will also talk about Glasstress, a project by Adriano Berengo to further Berengo’s mission to promote the use of glass in the world of contemporary art. The first Glasstress exhibition was launched in 2009 to establish a new platform for art made with glass and was founded as a collateral event of the Venice Biennale. This is the seventh edition of Glasstress, where Berengo Studios has brought together a group of leading contemporary artists from Europe, the United States, Latin America, Africa and China in an ambitious exhibition that explores the infinite creative possibilities of glass. The works are hosted inside the Berengo Art Space Foundation in Murano, an old abandoned furnace transformed a few years ago into a suggestive exhibition space.
“There’s A Big Hole In The Sky” – Collaborative sculpture by Tim Tate, Michael Janis, and Chris Shea.
The Venice Biennale is an international art exhibition featuring architecture, visual arts, cinema, dance, music, and theatre that is held in the Castello district of Venice, Italy every two years during the summer. This year’s Venice Biennale includes a collateral event – ‘Glasstress’ – held at the historic Berengo Studios in Murano, Italy.
The 59th International Art Exhibition features a sculptural collaboration between DC glass artists Tim Tate, Michael Janis and Brandywine metal sculptor Chris Shea, representing the USA.
Detail of Tate,Janis,Shea artwork showing cast glass and metalwork .
Chris Shea’s incredible metal work frames out Tim Tate’s lush fields of cast glass elements (detailed figures, flowers, insects) and in center, a glass sgraffito panel by Michael Janis.
A central concern in “There’s a Big Hole in The Sky” is that viewers need to abandon their apathy towards climate change. This monumental sculpture brings to light the effects of global warming on the earth as most areas will be facing frequent flooding. Despite the growing evidence of climate change, and humanity as the driver of that change, there remains a hardcore 20 percent or so that reject the whole notion of it and a healthy percentage that remain unconvinced that humans are causing it. And on top of those dismal statistics, many believe that climate change does not represent a threat to them. The artwork is an invitation to understand, to act, and to prepare. But if political solutions to climate change don’t materialize soon, it may also be an invitation to come to terms with loss.
Image of installation at Berengo Studios in Murano, Italy.
From Biennale Press Release
GLASSTRESS 2022
2 JUNE – 27 NOVEMBER 2022
BERENGO ART SPACE FOUNDATION
Venice, 2022
At the same time as the 59th Venice Biennale, the seventh edition of GLASSTRESS, scheduled from June 2 to November 27, 2022, brings together a group of important contemporary artists from Europe, the United States, Latin America, Africa and China in an ambitious exhibition that explores the infinite creative possibilities of glass.
The works will be housed in the Berengo Art Space Foundation in Murano, an old abandoned furnace transformed a few years ago into an evocative exhibition space. On display will be works by artists who have already collaborated and exhibited at GLASSTRESS with Berengo Studio, such as Ai Weiwei, Jimmie Durham, Tony Cragg, Monira Al Qadiri, Thomas Schütte, as well as first-time attendees Vanessa Beecroft, María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Tim Tate, Paloma Varga Weisz and eL Seed, among others.
GLASSTRESS is a project by Adriano Berengo dedicated to promoting new connections between contemporary art and glass. Starting from its debut in 2009 as a side event of the Venice Biennale, over the years GLASSTRESS has made dozens of internationally renowned artists and designers passionate about the traditional craft of Murano glass blowing, who have tried their hand at creating suggestive and innovative works in glass with the support of the masters of Berengo Studio.
GLASSTRESS 2022 – ARTISTS
NEW ARTISTS
Vanessa Beecroft (Italy), María Magdalena Campos-Pons (Cuba), Judy Chicago (United States), Chiara Dynys (Italy), eL Seed (France), Leandro Erlich (Argentina), Ryan Gander (Great Britain), Michael Janis (United States), Alexander Evgenievich Ponomarev (Russia), Laurent Reypens (Belgium), Liam Scully (Great Britain), Chris Shea (United States), Paloma Varga Weisz (Germany), Osman Yousefzada (Great Britain).
RETURNING ARTISTS
Ai Weiwei (China), Monira Al Qadiri (Kuwait), Ayman Baalbaki (Lebanon), Tony Cragg (Great Britain), Jimmie Durham (United States), Jan Fabre (Belgium), Josepha Gasch-Muche (Germany), Kendell Geers ( South Africa), Marya Kazoun (Lebanon / Canada), Brigitte Kowanz (Austria), Karen LaMonte (United States), Tomáš Libertiny (Slovak Republic), Massimo Lunardon (Italy), Federica Marangoni (Italy), Prune Nourry (France), Anne Peabody (United States), Jaume Plensa (Spain), Laure Prouvost (France), Thomas Schütte (Germany), Sean Scully (United States), Wael Shawky (Egypt), Lino Tagliapietra (Italy), Tim Tate (United States) , Koen Vanmechelen (Belgium), Robert Wilson (United States), Rose Wylie (Great Britain), Erwin Wurm (Austria).
ACC interview with Chris Shea is online – click HERE.
Perry Price – the American Craft Council‘s new Director of Education interviewed master metal artist Chris Shea for the ACC’s American Craft Week. The “5 Question” format gives a too-brief glimpse into Chris’ thought process, but includes his thoughts of the DC area and the Washington Glass School:
The Renwick Gallery has been a special source of inspiration and encouragement for me as have the members of the James Renwick Alliance, the support organization for the museum. The Washington Glass School, created by Tim Tate, Michael Janis, and Erwin Timmers is a second creative home for me, and for many other people, too. It’s a kind of energy bank where I go for a spark of comradeship, collaboration, competition – and to find that special luminescence that glass can bring to the darker, heavier tones of forged metalwork. (ok, emphasis is mine, but still, phwoar!)
Chris recently had some of his forged steel furniture acquired by the Smithsonian’s Renwick Gallery – click here to read about his process. Congrats (again) Chris!
The American Craft Council (ACC) is a national, nonprofit educational organization founded in 1943 with a mission to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. The ACC celebrates the remarkable achievements of the many gifted artists today who are working with a variety of materials.
The Fall 2012 issue of American Style Magazine features DC contemporary art collectors Ben and Giselle Huberman.
The new Fall issue of American Style Magazine is now out, and one of the feature stories is about Giselle and Ben Huberman and their amazing contemporary art collection that showcases their support of area artists.
Ben & Giselle Huberman have been strong supporters of artists of the Washington Glass School, including Erwin Timmers, Chris Shea, Michael Janis, Sean Hennessey and Tim Tate.
The American Style photo of the Huberman’s Potomac, MD residence shows Michael Janis’ glass sgraffito panel “Cubans Dreaming of Liberty“
Within the article (written by Marilyn Millstone with photos by Timothy Jacobsen) are references and glimpses of work by Chris Shea, Michael Janis, Sean Hennessey. Tim Tate’s “Ode to Joy” has a detailed description. In the mixed media sculpture, cast glass hands spell out in sign language the words to “Ode to Joy” in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. A video of a tenor singing Beethoven’s work is inside the domed glass, but without sound – which is how Beethoven would have experienced the song – as he became deaf.
The article has a detailed sidebar about Tim Tate’s “Ode to Joy” sculpture (photo below by anythingphoto.net).
Tim Tate “Ode to Joy” blown & cast glass, original video, electronics
A video of a tenor singing Beethoven’s work is inside the domed glass, but without sound – which is how Beethoven would have experienced the song – as he became deaf. An interesting note – the tenor featured within Tim Tate’s work is artist Sean Hennessey. Besides being a glass/concrete mixed media sculptor, with work in the Huberman’s collection,Sean is an accomplished tenor. Below is the video of Sean singing that is incorporated into the sculpture. Have a look for the magazine at the newstands now!
‘National Treasure’ Chris Sheais featured with a glossy spread in the fall issue of Modern Luxury Magazine. The magazine article focuses on the extraordinary craftsmanship of Chris’ arthropod inspired chairs, recently acquired for the permanent by the Smithsonian Museum. The beautiful wrought steel and cast glass chairs have been featured in the blog previously, with a short photo narrative of Chris’ process.
Click HERE to jump to the article in Modern Luxury.
It’s official: The Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum has acquired three of Chris Shea’s cast glass-and-steel furniture pieces for their permanent collection. The two chairs and a table will be on exhibit at the Renwick in DC this Fall. Congratulations Chris!
Chris studied blacksmithing and silversmithing at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Tennessee, and he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University. A professional artist and blacksmith for over 10 years, Chris designs and creates hand-forged furniture, sculpture and architectural metalwork at his studio in Brandywine, MD.
click on image to jump to a slideshow of Chris’ process.
Chris has been making a number of cast glass panels that will be featured in his newest work – the Demilune Table – hopefully to be featured on the Glass School blog! To jump to Chris’s website – click HERE.
>Spring is soon, and as we all know, in the spring, an artist’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of “Calls for Entries”.
Visual Overture Magazine, a quarterly publication that promotes emerging artists, has begun the entry process for its Summer 2011 Featured Emerging Artists competition. Seven artists (any medium) are selected (by artPark author Rob Jones) and featured in the magazine. Selected artists are presented on a two-page spread with images of their work, interview questions, artist statement, and contact details.
Entries are only $17 per artist – artists to submit digital files electronically. Complete the entry form and get three images to VO by April 18, 2011.
Also- Torpedo Factory Art Center’s Annual Call Deadline: February 28, 2011.
Open call for Washington, D.C. metro area artists for Torpedo Factory Art Center’s 2011 annual jury for artist members. Drop off date: February 28, 2011. The Torpedo Factory’s annual jury will be held February 28 – March 3, 2011.
The Torpedo Factory houses more than 165 artists in combination studio/gallery space. The application form and submission requirements are available on their website. Accepting submissions by emerging and established artists in all media. Direct inquiries to Michele Hoben at mphoben@aol.com.
Who are the jurors? There are separate 3-person panels judging the 2-D work and the 3-D work. The jurors are highly qualified professional artists, curators, teachers, museum directors and the like, who are independent of the Torpedo Factory. Their decision is final. They will look for work that meets the highest standards of professionalism and promise. NOTE: This jury process is NOT a critique. Artists will not receive a critique.
2D Jurors for 2011 Zoe Charlton Vesela Sretenovic Janos Enyedi
3D Jurors for 2011 Binnie Fry Chris Shea Novie Trump
>Chris Shea stopped by the Glass School the other day, and we took a sneak peek at a huge forged bronze architrave that Chris made for a residence. Chris designs and creates hand-forged furniture, sculpture and architectural metalwork at his studio in Brandywine, MD. A professional artist and blacksmith for 10 years, his work is shown at Wexler Gallery in Philadelphia and has been exhibited throughout the country.
“Observations on Perpetual Motion” Forged steel, glass, electronics 22″ x 22″ x 66″
Chris & Tim Tate collaborated on a fantastic piece – now on exhibit at Maurine Littleton Gallery in Washington, DC.
Born and raised in Marblehead, MA, Chris studied blacksmithing and silversmithing at the Appalachian Center for Crafts in Tennessee, and has taught at Montgomery College in Rockville, MD, Thomas Jefferson Arts Center in Arlington, VA, and Snow Farm Craft School in Williamsburg, MA. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Cornell University.
