Mark Angus
Same Difference: from Stourbridge… to Frauenau… to Corning. An exhibition of European glass at the 39th Glass Art Society conference.
The idea to take studio glass art to Corning is a bit like taking coals to Newcastle! And to dare to do this during the Glass Art Society conference may appear as if we took a whole seam of coal, not just a few barrow loads! The studio glass scene in Corning is after all as rich a seam of talent as you will find anywhere in the glass world, and during a GAS conference all the glass enthusiasts of the world would be there, too. But the exhibition “Same Difference: from Stourbridge… to Frauenau… to Corning” did just that. It took studio glass art from the traditional glass areas of Stourbridge in the West Midlands of England and from Frauenau, the heart of the glass producing area of Bavaria, Germany, and it took the glass right to the epicentre of glass – Corning, the “crystal city” in New York State USA, during a GAS conference with the title “Local Inspiration – Global Innovation”.
The exhibition is the second to have this title. The first “Same Difference” exhibition showcased glass artists from the West Midlands and Eastern Bavaria in an exhibition in Frauenau in 2008, and followed a process of coming together between the two regions. After all both regions share many things in common: Both are traditional glass making areas where craft schools have taught specialised glass making skills for generations. Both areas have experienced severe decline in the industrial base of glass making, only in part made up by the emergence in the last twenty years of independent glass makers declaring themselves to be “glass artists”. You can see the initial grain of truth that connects the two regions: They have a lot that is the same and a lot that is different, hence “Same Difference”.
If we take what is the same first, these areas both have a culture based on glass. This can be seen as a history of glass, and in the architecture, (archaeology!), of a glass producing area. Glass is a cultural good; it both defines culture in relation to time, and it creates a precious working culture around the making of glass. So today these areas have their famous glass museums; in Stourbridge the Broadfield House Glass Museum (currently threatened with closure!), in Frauenau the newly built Frauenau Glass Museum, and in Corning the Corning Museum of Glass. These three areas also have the emergence of studio glass artists, often working in the very same glass factories that once were the backbone of the whole area, employing whole families of glass makers in every glass trade for generations. The traditional skill of earlier glass makers is reflected in the work of their present day counterparts, each area having its own emphasis of course. This connection to industry is clear when we look at the four artists from Atelier Mannerhaut. All four artists were trained for industry and only later crossed over as glass artists.
To find differences we must look at the work a bit more closely. From technique perspectives the interesting thing to notice is how many blowers are coming from England. This may simply be the artists taking the place of the now non existent industrial glass blowers in England. The Germans still have glass blowing in factories and can get their glass blown for them so they don t need to become blowers themselves. Instead they can concentrate more on the cold working techniques of cutting and polishing. The English are good at this, too, after all it gives a lot of added value to a piece, but the Germans go further with cold working techniques. There is also a difference in the philosophy behind a piece. Some of the Bavarian work has a lot more weird quality, fantasy if you like. In fact it was this very quirkiness that may have allowed better sales to the English in a similarly minded environment.
The aim of the Corning exhibition was to bring these independent artists together, to share and to learn, to present them as belonging to their own glass heritage whilst also belonging to the family of studio glass. We came to showcase our artist’s glass for the judgement of American collectors and American makers.
The skills of both the English and German makers were held in very high esteem by their American counterparts. Collectors, many from the Corning region, were enthusiastic, and many pieces were bought. There was admiration for the display. The accompanying catalogue was highly praised. Most importantly contacts and collaborations were developed. Technical virtuosity was plain to see, be it from the glass blowers, the engravers, the glass cutters and bonders, or the painters, or other varied skills on display. But technique also requires creative inspiration, fantasy and ideas. And these were also present and admired in the works displayed. That each artist had a special voice in glass, and a mastery of their own repertoire of skills was seen and appreciated by the American glass scene in Corning. That each piece had a story, call it an important content or narrative, was also apparent and appreciated.
The glass artists of the West Midlands and of Bavaria stood up very well on the International stage. And the resulting pride and confidence makes a good base for developing their reputations everywhere. This is perhaps the best outcome of the project.
A rather sad postscript to the exhibition. Upon returning to Frauenau after the GAS conference it was very sad to learn that it is intended to close the International Glass Centre in Dudley. This is the very school that has created so many of the West Midlands glass makers that have been involved and showcased in the same difference exhibitions. The IGS is so important to the continuation of the glass heritage of the West Midlands in England, and we immediately joined the campaign to try to prevent this threatened closure. Whether or not the IGC will close is still too soon to know, but we would not have had the artists for this exhibition, nor the organisational backup without the existence of the IGC, and we should all wish them success in their attempt to remain a principal player in training the next generations of glass artists
Artists from the UK: Martin Andrews, Laura Birdsall, Tim Boswell, Keith Brocklehurst, Ken Cantillon Howell, Jaqueline Cooley, Jane Dorner, Stuart Fletcher, Stephen Foster, Heather Gillespie, Jonathan Harris, Charlotte Hughes-Martin, Denise Hunt, Ema Kelly and Andrea Körsgen, James Lethbridge, Allister Malcolm, Helen Millard, Jo Newman, Melissa Nichols, Sue Parry, Nancy Sutcliffe, Jane Vanderstay Hunt, Nikki Williams.
Artists from Germany: Mark Angus, Erwin Eisch, Eva Eisch, Gretel Eisch, Ronald Fischer, Alexandra Geyermann, G. Jo Hruschka, Rainer Metzger, Magdalena Paukner, Hermann Ritterswürden, Christian Schmidt, Rike Scholle and Eduard Deubzer, Stefan Stangl, Alexander Wallner.
Exhibited at the Houghton Gallery, 171 Cedar Arts Centre, Corning, NY, USA from June 9 – 27 2009 Catalogued.
Sponsors: UK TRADE & INVESTMENT, Advantage West Midlands, Net Infinity, Glass Collaborations, Bild-Werk Frauenau, Förderverien Glas, Sparkasse Regen-Viechtach, European Regional Development Fund.
