OPENING: “Glass Quake” at Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Glass Quake 2011 at Mobilia Gallery. Cambridge, Massachusetts. April 5 – May 21, 2011.

Mobilia Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts will kick off the month with their biannual event “Glass Quake.” The exhibition, which runs from tonight, April 5th, through May 21st, will be accompanied by a symposium and glass demonstration taking place Friday, April 8th from 2 – 5 PM. From cast glass to blown glass, and from jewelry to sculpture, the exhibition and lectures will highlight the vast range of techniques and materials used in glassworking today. On display will be works contributed by artists Jeanette Ahlgren, Sean Albert, Heike Brachlow, Nancy Callan, Shane Fero, Deborah Horrell, Peter Houk, Steve Klein, Linda MacNeil, Andy Magdanz, Richard Marquis, Debora Moore, Kait Rhoads, Ethan Stern, and Matthew Szosz.

Sean Albert, Intentionally Random Line Study, 2008. Kiln cast and polished glass. H 14.5 W 11.25 D 2.25

Located less than twenty minutes outside of Boston, Mobilia Gallery has been serving the arts community since 1978. Offering a number of exhibits, lectures, and symposiums throughout the year Mobilia is an institution dedicated to showing decorative fine arts of the 20th and 21st century. Every two years the gallery hosts “Glass Quake“ to showcase the work of seasoned glass professionals, as well as the work of artists new to the scene. A theme that is representative of the body of work being exhibited is assigned each year, and this year the focus will be the numerous ways in which exhibiting artists work with the medium and technically how they produce their work.

In a telephone interview with the GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet, JoAnne Cooper of Mobilia Gallery, stated that the exhibition ultimately is about, “pulling out the stops, exploring the potential of glass, shattering peoples perception of what artists create with this hot piece of glass.” She sees the exhibit as an opportunity to shake viewers by the shoulders into reassessing the limits and expectations that they’ve put on glass artists.

Nancy Callan, Aqua Net, 2010. Blown Glass. H 17.5 W 17.5 L 17.5

For “Glass Quake” 2011 Mobilia has lined up three guest speakers, MIT Glass Lab teacher Peter Houk, Nancy Callan, and Sean Albert, for the symposium. In addition artist Andy Magdanz will be doing on-site demonstrations during the opening afternoon at Sherman Street Studios.

Space is still available for this event, but people are urged to RSVP as soon as possible because space is limited. RSVP can be made by phone or by contacting Mobilia via email at mobiliaart@verizon.net.

—Alica Forneret