International Magazine of Studio Glass

At first mention, the idea of holding a major European glass exhibition and conference on an island in the middle of the Baltic Sea might seem less than realistic. But when certain historical and geographical facts about the Danish island of Bornholm become clear, the notion becomes less far-fetched.

Historically, Bornholm has held a strategic position in the Baltic – a crossing place between the southern Baltic States and the Scandinavian countries to the north and west. With plentiful supplies of sand and easy access to fuel and trading centres, the island has been an important centre for the glass industry and ceramics. Today, it is a major centre for the arts and crafts and boasts an outstanding kunstmuseum as well as a popular glass and ceramics school with a growing international reputation. Well-established names such as Baltic Sea Glass in Gudhjem and Pernille Bülow in Svaneke augment Bornholm’s reputation for studio glass.

Bornholms Kunstmuseum, the Glass and Ceramic School in Nexø and the Grønbechs Gård gallery in Hasle formed the tri-fold venue for the 2008 European Glass Context conference and exhibition – the purpose of which was to discuss and examine current trends in contemporary European studio and industrial glass. Delegates and exhibitors from the twenty-seven EU states as well as Norway, Switzerland and Iceland attended a four-day event (from 12th to 15th September) for discussion, debate and cultural exchange. Speakers addressed an eclectic mix of themes such as the industrial and scientific developments in glass technologies (and the resultant aesthetic possibilities which inevitably follow on from such advances); glass recycling; cultural identity; the glass scene in Bulgaria and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and the mixed fortunes of the glass industry in Portugal.

Prizes were awarded to artists in the categories of ‘Emerging Artists’ ‘Established Artists’ and ‘Industrial Design’ and were, respectively, Pernille Braun Jørgensen from Denmark, Angela Jarman from the UK and Aldo Bakker from the Netherlands.

So far so good. But the point and purpose of hosting and organising such a challenging and logistically complex event should also bear some scrutiny. While the diverse range of speakers certainly provided variety, the lack of a properly conceived unifying theme left one with the feeling of being buffeted by information from many sources and directions. Perhaps inevitably many of the talks raised more questions than answers, creating some frustration at the lack of discursive dialogue; additionally, some of the presentations were unclear and ‘wooden’ while others addressed the concerns of small ‘insider’ groups and as a result got bogged down in minutiae and technicalities.

If a theme did emerge, it was the important and endlessly fascinating one of identity and how national and ethnic identities have paradoxically becomes more prominent with the emergence of an apparently unified Europe. Such issues were addressed directly a group of glass students and asked each to make a box and fill it with objects and symbols which they felt represented the own national or ethnic group. The results were sometimes predictable and sometimes surprising. But such ways of working are an important if not crucial starting point for the making of art. Glass is a medium like any other and although it has its own vocabulary, syntax and grammar dictated to some extent by its technical properties and limitations, it should also be remembered that technique is only one element in the making of art. Such workshops are an invaluable part of the rigorous artistic training which must be undertaken by ay artist, irrespective of the medium I which they work.

This approach was admirably demonstrated by Monica Edmondson, an ethnic Sami from northern Sweden. Edmondson has responded to the challenge of being an innovative contemporary glass artist while remaining true to her Sami routes. As she showed, this has been a long and challenging artistic journey.  Edmondson described her journey like following a known path in a blizzard – ‘you know the path is there, you just can’t see it and you have to trust the fact that you are following the right course’. It’s an apt and powerful metaphor which should act as an inspiration for students and established practitioners alike. For more information see www.glass08.com