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July 21 - December 9, 2001
FORM FROM FIRE: Glass Sculpture by Dale Chihuly
In addition to Chihuly's well-known work, FORM FROM FIRE will feature new art designed specifically for The Dayton Art Institute.
As they enter the special exhibition, visitors will encounter a series of Ikebanas, another name for Japanese flower arranging. These colorful and elegant long stemmed pieces were made with the help of long-time friend Lino Tagliapietra after a trip to Japan in 1998.
An Anemone Wall features long, slender finger-like
stems that look as though they are floating underwater. A series of Baskets
are installed on pedestals. Chihuly's Baskets series are essentially lopsided
bowls inspired by the sight of an old Indian basket, s
agging
and misshapen in appearance. Next, visitors encounter Chihuly's Persians,
a series he began in 1985.
His signature pieces are known as Persian Windows, Persian Ceilings or Persian Walls. At The Dayton Art Institute, these large flowerlike objects are displayed on a table, as well as in mass, incorporating a Persian Ceiling. The Persian Ceiling is a colorful 8 foot high, 40 foot long tunnel made of hundreds of brilliantly colored glass objects, lit from the top, providing a magical passageway for visitors.
Eccentric 1920s and 1930s art-deco inspired Venetians and stocky angel-like Puttis will also be on view, along with a nearly ten foot high Tower, which graces the center of the last gallery. Visitors may also view Chihuly's Jerusalem Cylinders, vase-like round pieces depicting a scene on the front of each. These scenes are actually thin pieces of glass that have been molded and fused to the cylinder. Translucent white Seaflowers fill an 11 foot long case, across from the Cylinders. Sprinkled throughout the special exhibition wing, Chihuly's drawings, including early Venetian drawings, give visitors yet another aspect of Chihuly's talent.
Several of Chihuly's glass will enhance the Art Institute's permanent collection. In the General Motors Entrance Rotunda, a stunning 70 foot long Persian Wall will reach from the Berry Wing of European Art doorway to the doors of the Dicke Wing of American Art. The Persian Wall is comprised of 60 large Persian forms, mounted sporadically on the wall, in essentially every color of the rainbow. A series of Macchias will be displayed on metal pedestals of varying height throughout the Great Hall. This series arose from Chihuly's challenge to use all 300 glass colors in one series. The name Macchia comes from the Italian word spotted, which fits these speckled pieces. In addition, an incredible red Tower, made from thousands of individual glass pieces held together by massive metal armature, reaches nearly 18 feet and will be lighted and visible from Interstate 75. In the Italian Cloister, red and cool optic purple Reeds, some of the longest glass forms blown by Chihuly's team, will complement the fountain and provide a vivid array of "spears" randomly placed in the grass.