The Language of Material
Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum, Svalbarðseyri, Iceland. 2023
The Language of Material
Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum, Svalbarðseyri, Iceland. 2023
I think of my artistic creations like a family tree where works are born, connect with each other and produce descendants. Certain variables recur and develop, but then a mutation will occur and a new branch grows out of the trunk. The works in the exhibition originated in an improvisation where I pushed the glassblowers out of their comfort zone. I had vague ideas at the beginning of the process and relied on unfamiliar circumstances and assistants. The process was about timing and attitude. I wanted the blowers to lose control, as my aim was to direct the chaos and be handed objects that were foreign to me because only then would the seed that was planted assume its finished form. There was complete mutual trust in our collaboration, where the blowers had to let go of traditional methods where everything was based on maintaining a balance, and instead shape using movements and gravity until I said stop; it’s ready!
When the objects arrived at my studio, it was the character of the glass that was in charge. That was the starting point and nothing worked unless I considered its qualities