Editor's Letter
by Andrew Page
"Investigation" is a unifying theme in this issue, which features the experimental work of Matthew Szösz on the cover and a consideration of his work by contributing editor William Warmus.
In his debut as a contributor to Glass, artist and educator Justin Ginsberg documents S12, a unique art center in Norway as it celebrates a decade of artist residencies and exhibitions highlighting multimedia artwork incorporating glass.
In an expansive and illuminating essay, independent curator and critic Vicky A. Clark examines trends in philosophy and aesthetics, looking closely at how the material of glass—with its smooth and shiny surfaces and translucent glow—can limit response to contemporary trends in art. Clark cites a range of artists working with glass in this way, but gives special focus to the examples of Doreen Garner and Ron Desmett.
Artist Gerry King takes the measure of two artists in China, each of whom heads a prominent university program in a country just beginning to embrace the material as a sculptural medium. King considers the kiln-cast works of Guan Donghai and Han Xi, and examines how each represents the future as educators and artists while honoring their country's vast history.
And finally, we present the last installment in our year-long series examining the story of UrbanGlass, which turned 40 this year. Picking up in the year 2000, we learn how a city-led renovation of its building pushed the art center to the brink, and how an expanded vision for UrbanGlass has emerged to usher in a new era.