On June 10, 2017, the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft in Denmark will open an exhibit of work by the finalists in its fourth Young Glass competition. Since it was initiated by this museum of glass art in 1987, the juried once-a-decade competition has strived to promote and reward emerging talent in the medium. Four cash prizes totaling €42,000 (approx. $45,000 US) and two artist residencies will be awarded to the winners.
Glasmuseet Ebeltoft was established in 1986 by Danish glass artist Finn Lynggaard, Erling Rasmussen (former Managing Director of Kvadrat, Ebeltoft) and Bent Fredberg (Chartered Accountant). It is a private, self-financing institution, founded and directed by the Foundation for the Collection of Contemporary, International Glass Art. Its mission is to foster awareness and appreciation of contemporary glass worldwide.
Of the 326 who applied to the Young Glass competition, 57 glass artists from 18 countries were selected as finalists by an international jury composed of artist Jeffrey Sarmiento, who holds leadership positions at the University of Sunderland and at North Lands Creative Glass, both in the U.K.; Susan Warner, artistic director of the Museum of Glass in the U.S. city of Tacoma, Washington; Maja Heuer, director of the Glass Factory in Boda, Sweden; and Dan Mølgaard, executive director of the Glasmuseet Ebeltoft.
The full list of the Young Glass 2017 finalists includes:
Alexander Rosenberg, USA; Ayaha Fujiwara, Japan; Bjørn Friborg, Denmark; Carina Cecilia Cheung, USA; Carl Bens, Germany; Claire Deleurme, France; David King, USA; Erin Dickson, Great Britain; Eva Reddy, Ireland; Evelina Dovsten, Sweden; Evelyn Cromwell, Great Britain; Gabriel Feracci, France; Harry Morgan, Great Britain; Ida Wieth, Denmark; Jamie Katz, USA; Jean Thebault , France; Jennifer Halvorson, USA; Jennifer Crescuillo, USA; Joanna Manousis, Great Britain; Johanne Jahncke, Denmark; Joshua Hershman, USA; Judith Roux, France; Karen Donnellan, Ireland; Karin Forslund, Sweden; Karlis Bogustovs, Latvia; Kateriin Rikken, Estonia; Kathryn Wightman, Great Britain; Kirsten Storesund, Norway; Leah Kudel, Canada; Lena Feldmann, Germany; Lewis Batchelar, New Zealand; Luba Bakicová, Slovakia; Mafune Gonjo, Japan; Michie Kagajo, Japan; Morgan Peterson, USA; Nathalie Houghton, USA; Natsuki Katsukawa, Japan; Nikola Kovalíková, Slovakia; Paulius Rainys, Lithuania; Pavel Skrott, Czech Republic; Rasmus Nossbring, Sweden; Raven Skyriver, USA; Rebecca Arday, USA; Riikka Haapasaari, Finland; Rui Sasaki, Japan; Sachi Fujikake, Japan; Sarah Gilbert, USA; Sean O’Neill, USA; Steven Ciezki, USA; Tadeas Podracky, Czech Republic; Thomas Kuhn, Germany; Torsten Rötzsch, Germany; Victoria Ahmadizadeh, USA; Xueyu He, China; Zac Weinberg, USA; Zdenka Fusková, Czech Republic; Zuzana Kubelková, Czech Republic.
The competition and exhibition are part of the European Cultural Capital Aarhus 2017, and the project is a collaboration with the National Glass Centre at The University of Sunderland, UK. Selected works will be on view at Ebeltoft June 10 – October 29, 2017, then at The Glass Factory, Sweden from November 2017 until March 2018, followed by the National Glass Centre, Sunderland, UK from March 2018 until October 2018.