New Mexico Museum of Art

“The Nature of Glass” set to open at New Mexico Museum of Art Feb. 25

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 03, 2023

MEDIA CONTACT
Ash Espinoza
505-479-0906
ashley.espinoza@dca.nm.gov

Santa Fe, NM – The story of glass begins in nature as it is created through naturally occurring events. Glass is durable and resilient, yet at the same time delicate and fragile. A new exhibition at New Mexico Museum of Art (NMMOA) explores the technical and material nature of glass, the natural qualities of the medium, and the process of how artists work with glass. The Nature of Glass is on view in the Goodwin Gallery, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, through Oct. 29, 2023.  

This exhibition features a vast representation of artistic approaches to glass in its many forms, and the unique qualities of glass as an artistic medium. Techniques include blown, hotwired, etched, assemblage, sand carved, cast, kiln-formed, stained, and other techniques. It includes work from NMMOA’s growing glass collection from artists such as Judy Chicago, Stacey Neff, Robert Wilson, William Morris, Silvia Levenson, Tony Jojola, and others. 

“Studio glass has a strong presence and a faithful following in New Mexico. The Nature of Glass includes some of the finest examples of studio glass in the museum’s collection, and it will appeal to a broad audience,” said Dr. Mark White, executive director of NMMOA. 

Glass has been used as an artistic medium for thousands of years. It offers an assortment of creative possibilities. It is one of the world’s most prevalent art forms and artists continue to look to glass for its unique combination of versatility and delicateness. 

Nature refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and to life in general. As glass can often allow us multiple views of the same thing at once, the idea of nature is examined through both of its facets in this exhibition. This includes plants, animals, the landscape, the universe, and the human body. Artists in this exhibition use glass to explore and celebrate the natural world, through literal representations of plant and animal life, striking features of the meteorological or geographic phenomena, explorations of the human figure, cycles of life, and heavenly bodies.  

“We are excited to showcase the strengths of our glass collection in this exhibition, as we delve into the exciting ways that artists have explored nature through this unique medium,” said Christian Waguespack, curator of 20th Century art for NMMOA. 

The Nature of Glass opens Saturday, Feb. 25, and NMMOA will be hosting a community day to celebrate this exhibition. There will be art activities, refreshments provided by the Women’s Board, music from the Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association, and free admission all day. 

The New Mexico Museum of Art is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Programs and exhibits are supported by the Museum of New Mexico Foundation and its donors. The mission of the Museum of Art is to create authentic experiences that foster a deeper understanding and enjoyment of art throughout our state. With a collection of more than 20,000 pieces of work, the museum brings the art of the world to New Mexico and the art of New Mexico to the world.  

 


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