For “Talking Glass”, an exhibition now on view through September 10 at the Czech Center New York, designer and architect Borek Sipek and didgeridoo player Ondrej Smeykal have come together to design and craft glass didgeridoos, wind instruments first crafted by indigenous people in Australia some 1,500 years ago. These instruments are not just for music, nor are they merely a design curiosity, but fall somewhere in between aesthetic function and aesthetic fascination — in an effort to catch the eye of musicians as well as artists and designers working in glass, in addition to the general public.
The didgeridoos themselves mingle in the exhibition with photographs by Jan William Drnek, who was on hand to witness the collaboration between Sipek and Smeykal and whose images capture the intricate glassblowing process.
The collaboration not only mixes music and design, but also disparate cultural traditions: the sophistication and mastery of Czech glass meets one of the world’s oldest instruments, whose history dates back at least 1,500 years to indigenous Australians. The didgeridoo is traditionally crafted with hardwoods such as the eucalyptus, but can in theory be made with a range of materials. Though glass didgeridoos are not unheard of, “Talking Glass” brings a possibly profile-raising status to this particular mode of the instrument by employing the technical skills of Sipek along with Smeykal’s intimate knowledge of the instrument.
The exhibition includes photographer Jan William Drnek's images of the glassblowing process.
Smeykal hopes that the exhibition will raise the profile of glass-made instruments in general and encourage glass designers to try their hand. In the press release for “Talking Glass”, he expresses the desire that “perhaps the whole circle of glass designers might be inspired by the project of creating musical glass instruments.” Such a project might not only produce some beautiful-looking instruments, but might also entail the intriguing possibility of orienting a designer’s vision and expertise to the creation of entirely new sounds. I, for one, am looking forward to it.
Two events will be taking place in connection with the exhibition. On July 21st at 7pm, Smeykal will team up with mbira (traditional African instrument, also called a thumb piano) virtuoso Michael Delia, which effectively brings together artistic and musical traditions from three separate continents. A day after, on July 22nd at 6 PM, Smeykal will lead a workshop for beginning, intermediate, and advanced didgeridoo players.
- Lee Gaizak Brooks
IF YOU GO:
“Talking Glass”
June 17th – September 10th, 2010
Czech Center New York
321 East 73rd Street
New York, NY 10021
Tel: 646-422-3399
Website: www.bohemiannationalhall.com