Anna Vesele
Baltic Glass: The Development of new artworks based on historical and contemporary contextualization
Aims
- Document and contextualize my own art practise, the history, evolution and contemporary practice of creative glass in the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania
- Demonstrate personal reflections in created glass pieces
- Develop approaches to non-compatible glass in the creative glass practice.
Rationale
The political situation after the Second World War changed the development of all three Baltic States. Evolution of creative art remained inside the borders of the Soviet Union, and the situation changed only in 1991 when, the "regained independence had given new opportunities for experience exchange and cooperation with the glass workshops abroad" (Audere, 2004, p.76). Glass departments at Art Academies in Riga (Latvia), Tallinn (Estonia) and Vilnius/Kaunas (Lithuania), the same as in the many other universities throughout the world, "grew from existing ceramics programmes" (Frantz, 1989, p.53), and continue to have important structural roles in Creative Glass development. The three Baltic countries offer distinct profiles. Estonia has been "predominantly influenced by the Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden)" (Tiivel, 2001, [Online] http://www.etdm.ee/en/muuseum/klaasikogu/) that have "a close identity with nature" (Dawson, 1996, p.5). "Czechoslovakian glass traditions played an important role" (Petrova, 2001, p. 23) in the development of glass art in Latvia, whilst in Lithuania, "stained glass has been made for at least four centuries" (2006, [Online] http://www.stainedglass.org/html/SGAAhistorySG.htm), and the country, therefore, has older stained glass traditions.
This research will contribute to both the history and the development of glass art in the Baltic States. Through active involvement in contemporary glass art in the region, my own practice is a part of present development with potential for exploration in future. The use of ethnographical motifs or the principles of rectangular repeating forms, sense of colour, acknowledged even in Nikita Voronov's book "Soviet Glass", and the struggle to find facilities and available materials is conjunctive element in the regions' creative practice. The personal practice reflects on similar aesthetic principles, sources of inspirations, and philosophy behind Baltic artists' creative practise, development of techniques through the decades, as well as the use of non-compatible sheet glass from the Bransk Glass Factory in Russia.
Outline methodology
Historical - gather and evaluate information relating to Glass art in the each of the countries e.g. Applied Art museums of Tallinn, Vilnius, Kaunas, Riga, art galleries as well as research archives and libraries, art schools, and interview artists and art pedagogues to provide a historical overview.
Comparative - personal practice in the context of contemporary glass art in the Baltic States.
Reflective - reflect through personal practice.
Experimental - produce a body of artworks using sheet glass in creation of sculptural pieces.
Original contribution
This research will offer the first contextualization of Baltic glass development in the twentieth century, at the same time enabling the creation of new artworks that reflect how the context has changed in the last two decades. The bodies of artworks will show the main principles behind Baltic artists¿ creative practise and introduce new approaches to the use of non-compatible sheet glass offering a new model for other studio glass practitioners.
Indicative reading
- Audere, I. (2004). Paintings on glass in Latvia. PhD thesis. Art Academy of Latvia.
- Dawson, J. (1996). Finnish post-war glass : 1945-1996. Sunderland: University.
- Frantz, S., K. (1989). Contemporary glass: a world survey from the Corning Museum of Glass. New York: Harry N. Abrams
- History of Stained Glass. Stained Glass Association of America. (2006). Available from: http://www.stainedglass.org/html/SGAAhistorySG.html.
- Petrova, S. (2001). Czech Glass. Prague: Gallery.
- Tiivel, A. (2001). Collection of Glass Art. [Online]. Estonian Museum of Applied Arts and Design. Available from: http://www.etdm.ee/en/muuseum/klaasikogu/.
- Voronov, N. (1981) Soviet Glass. USSR: Aurora Art Publishers.
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