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Dale Chihuly By: Zuzu

Biography were released to float freely along the Venetian canals. In 2002 his Chihuly Bridge of Glass Dale Chihuly, (born September 20, 1941, accompanied the opening of the Museum of Tacoma, Washington, U.S.), American artist Glass in his native Tacoma, Washington. whose glass sculptures—often presented in Chihuly’s vibrantly coloured organic glass complex and dynamic public projects—led to creations were immediately recognizable. His a resurgence of interest in that medium. technical innovations enabled the production of a tremendous range of patterns, colours, and Chihuly studied interior design at the textures. Among his several extended series University of Washington in Seattle (B.A., were Blankets, for which he used cylindrical 1965) and received an M.S. in sculpture forms covered with patterns derived from Native from the University of Wisconsin, where he American blankets; Seaforms, shapes evoking studied glassblowing under Harvey Littleton. sea urchins, shells, and other marine life; and In 1968 he received an M.F.A. in ceramics Chandeliers, large-scale hanging sculptures from the Rhode Island School of Design illuminated by natural light sources. Variations (RISD). That same year he traveled to Italy on in scale made it possible for onlookers to a Fulbright scholarship and a Louis Comfort experience his pieces as intimate personal Tiffany Foundation grant and worked at objects or to be completely immersed in them, as Venini Fabrica, the renowned glassblowing in his prismatic interior installations in a variety workshop in Murano, an island in the Venice of public spaces. Notable among the latter were Lagoon. Returning to the United States in a ceiling sculpture made of more than 2,000 1969, he established the RISD glassblowing handblown floral shapes, installed in the lobby of program and founded (1971) the influential the Bellagio Resort in Las Vegas, and the Light Pilchuck Glass School north of Seattle. There he created the first of a number of environmental installations—a group of clear glass bulbs floating on Pilchuck Pond. He continued to teach at RISD until 1980. In 1976 an automobile accident left Chihuly blind in one eye, and thereafter he was dependent on assistant gaffers (glassblowers) to execute his distinctive designs. Chihuly’s works in glass both echo and extend glass’s historical relationship with functionality. Vase, basket, bowl, and other vessel forms dominated many of his individual pieces, though enlivened with rhythmic tempos and curvaceous motifs far removed from domestic use. In 1996 he completed Chihuly over Venice, a collaborative international undertaking involving glassblowers from Finland, Ireland, and Mexico. That project included Chandeliers (an enduring theme), which were installed around the city and lit by natural light, and numerous other glass forms that

“I want people to be overwhelmed with light and color in some way that they’ve never experienced.” –CHIHULY of Jerusalem project (1999–2000), a large- scale exhibition in the courtyard of the Tower of David Museum that dramatically juxtaposed more than a dozen of Chihuly’s glass installations with the timeworn rough-textured stone of the ancient site. In 2007 Chihuly created six large works as the stage set for the Seattle Symphony’s production of Béla Bartók’s opera Bluebeard’s Castle. Over the course of several years, the set traveled to appear in productions in Tel Aviv; Nashville; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Norfolk, Virginia; and Wichita, Kansas. In 2010 the Morean Art Center in St. Petersburg, Florida, opened the Chihuly Collection, a space designed by architect Albert Alonso, housing a permanent collection of Chihuly’s work. Two years later the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum opened in Seattle and quickly became one of the city’s most popular tourist destinations.

1966 Madison, Wisconsin Chihuly enters University of Wisconsin at Madison on a full scholarship, to study glassblowing in the first glass program in the United States, taught by Harvey Littleton. ‘66 1967 Rhode Island School of Design After receiving MS in schulpture from University of Wisconsin, visits Montreal and is inspired by the architectural glass work at the Czechoslovak pavilion. Attending RISD, he begins exploration of enviornmental works ‘67using neon, argon, and blown glass. 1968 MFA; Fullbright Fellowship Receives MFA from RISD. Accepts an invitation form architect Ludovico de Santilana, son- in-law of Paolo Venini, and becomes the first American glassblower to work in the ‘68prestigious Venini factory. 1969 Head of Glass Department Assumes the role of program head in Glass Department of RISD, where he teaches full time for the next eleven years. ‘69

1971 Neon and Ice At RISD, he makes 20,000 Pounds of Ice and Neon, Glass Forest #1, and Glass Forest #2 with James Carpenter, installations that prefigure later ‘71enviornmental works by Chihuly. 1975 Artpark He receives the first of two National Endowment for the Arts Visual Artists’ Fellowships. Becomes artist-in-residences with Seaver Leslie at Artpark, an annual arts program on the Niagrara Gorge in New York State. ‘75 1975 Navajo Blanket Cylinders At RISD, begins Navajo Blanket Cylinder series. Kate Elliot and, later, Flora C. Mace fabricate the complex thread drawings for his artwork. ‘75 1979 Met Museum Acquisition Henry Geldzahler, curator of contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, acquires three Navajo Blanket Cylinders for the museum’s collection-- a turning point in Chihuly’s career. ‘79

Famous Work element is coated inside with polyurethane adhesive and was tied on individually with 2001 stainless steel wire to an armature welded V&A in London from steel rod. A team of six started wiring on from bottom to top and took over five The V&A Rotunda Chandelier, created in days to complete the work. The sculpture is 2001, is one of a number of works from made up of over 1400 blue and green blown Chihuly’s ‘Chandelier’ series begun in and mould-blown glass elements wired to a 1992. Chihuly works extravagantly in steel armature. richly-coloured blown glass, drawing on the historic techniques of the Murano The chandilier is over 27 feet tall and its glassworks in Venice. He was initially greatest width is 12 feet wide. Including the intrigued by the space-changing potential of chain and armature the sculpture weights the chandelier form, and has succeeded in 3800 pounds. Some individual elements massing colour, shade and light alongside a are no longer than 10 inches in length while driving sense of movement. others are 59 inches or more. Made by Chihuly and his studio team in Seattle, Washington State, USA, each separate glass element of the V&A Rotunda Chandelier was either free-blown, or was mould-blown into ribbed moulds. Each

2013 radiant once again on the steps of the Montreal Montreal Museum of Fine Arts’ (MMFA) Michal and Renata Hornstein Pavilion. This is the seventh year that Montreal Museum of Fine Arts holds The Sun is brightening the downtown Montreal exhibition of Chihuly art. With Seaver landscape. The spectacular glass sculpture Leslie, revisits the Irish Cylinders from nearly composed of over 1,300 rays of blown glass has forty years ago with new Ulysses Cylinders become the symbol of summer’s arrival. inspired by the James Joyce Novel. A favourite in the hearts of Montrealers, The Sun(2013) by artist Dale Chihuly stands

Career Milestones 1976 The Accident Visits England with Seaver Leslie. On their way to Ireland, an automobile accident in England leaves him, after weeks in the hospital and 256 stitches in his face, without sight in his left eye and with permanent damage to his right ankle and foot. After recuperating at the home of painter Peter Blake, he returns to Providence to serve as head of the Department of Sculpture and the Program in Glass at RISD. 1986 Begins Persian series Begins Persian series with Martin Blank as gaffer, assisted by Robbie Miller. Establishes his first hotshop in Van de Kamp Building near Lake Union in Seattle. Dale Chihuly Objects de Verre opens at Musee des Artds Decoratifs,Palais du Louvre, in Paris. 2001 Begins Garden Cycle Chihuly in the Park: A Garden of Glass, at Garfield Park Conservatory, Chicago, begins Garden Cycle, a series of exhibitions in conservatories and gardens.

Awards and Recognition 2018 Inducted into College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Dale and Leslie Chihuly were inducted into the College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Chihuly’s were selected to receive the honor for their individual and collective contributions to the visual and performing arts. 2017 Futurum Award for Commitment to Arts Education Dale Chihuly was honored by Association Futurum at the annual Futurum Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Chihuly received the Futurum Award from HSH Prince Albert of Monaco and Kawther Al Abood, the founder and president of Association Futurum. Futurum Awards are presented to those who further education, inspiration, and ingenuity in the arts and sciences. Founded in 2009, Association Futurum aims to inspire and promote futuristic projects in the arts, music, and science, at an international level, to encourage a new, young generation of artists and scientists.

Dale & Leslie Chihuly State through Artist Trust’s “Arts Innovator Foundation Awards,” which awards grants to two artists each year. Since then, the Foundation has made Dale and Leslie Chihuly formed The Dale and multi-year funding commitments to programs and Leslie Chihuly Foundation in 2009 with a mission organizations which support artists, enable youth to inspire and educate the public regarding all arts education, and support some of our most forms of art, and to provide support to artists and fragile populations including the elderly, veterans, arts organizations. and the disabled. Those organizations include Artist Trust, Hilltop Artists, Hotshop Heroes at The Foundation’s activities focus on making the Museum of Glass, Path with Art and the grants to individual artists and art education University of Washington’s Art Lecture Series. efforts. In 2010, the Foundation began funding grants to innovative artists living in Washington

References “Dale Chihuly.” Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Dale-Chihuly. “Dale Chihuly.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, December 1, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Dale_Chihuly. Liu, Eva. “An Exclusive Interview with Dale Chihuly - Featuring His First Major Garden Exhibition in Asia.” The Artling, April 29, 2021. https://theartling.com/en/artzine/exclusive-interview-dale-chi- huly-featuring-his-first-major-garden-exhibition-asia/. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. “Chihuly’s Sun Shines Anew at the MMFA.” Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal. Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, May 17, 2019. https://www.mbam.qc.ca/en/news/chihulys- sun-shines-anew-at-the-mmfa/?https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mbam.qc.ca%2Fen%2F&gclid=EAIaI- QobChMIhoCPz_3t-wIVyf_jBx1lmADSEAAYASAAEgLsgfD_BwE. Museum, Victoria and Albert. “V&A Rotunda Chandelier: Dale Chihuly: V&A Explore the Collections.” Victoria and Albert Museum: Explore the Collections. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O301268/va-rotunda-chandelier-chandelier-dale-chihuly/. “Work (Landing).” Chihuly. Accessed December 11, 2022. https://www.chihuly.com/work.

One Man. Many Stories.