Process in glass art : a study of some technical and conceptual issues

Abstract

Glass has been made and used for centuries but South African artists, isolated for the last three decades, are only now becoming aware of the potential of hot or warm glass as an art medium. In antiquity glass objects were created using various processes but the 'factory' tradition began with the discovery of the blowing iron in the first century AD. The invention of the tank furnace in the late 1950s revolutionised modem production, enabling individual artists to make glass in private studios without blowing teams. The research describes ancient.. glassmaking processes and indicates how they have been explored, adapted and used by contemporary artists world wide, challenging craft orientated paradigms, and proving that glass is a viable and important sculpture medium. The practical research demonstrates the application of many processes and relates technical issues to sculptural concepts which are realized through the physical and material properties of glass.