08.04.2015

Ethan Stern: Crosscut

ETHAN STERN: CROSSCUT

exhibition: august 6 - 30, 2015  

opening  reception: thursday, august 6, 5 - 8pm

Having firmly established himself as one of the preeminent young artists working in glass, Ethan Stern finds a new voice in Crosscut, his forthcoming exhibition at Traver Gallery. With this new body of sculpture Stern extends his artistic exploration of abstraction, color, texture and light. Embracing a fresh palette of crystalline colors and tight geometric cuts, he makes extraordinary use of the unique qualities of the glass to alter light.

The conveyance of color and light are the central focus of this body of work. Simple flattened vessel forms pair with intensely carved surfaces faceted with geometric patterns to create a prismatic lattice of color and light that changes dynamically with every shift in orientation. Drawing inspiration from American Brilliant Cut Glass   - a period known for technical expertise and exquisite blown and carved glass vessels - Stern seeks to celebrate the traditions of this historical glass in his Crosscut series. Using traditional wheel-cutting techniques he carves deeply in to the glass, through intensely colored layers, to create a high relief surface that is designed to reflect and refract light. However, unlike the cut glass vessels of the past, these sculptures are not vessels designed to hold objects but as containers of light. Occasional polished and smooth surfaces reveal a pristine glass interior, a moment of calm, pure color, that strikes a harmonious balance with densely carved areas. Electric and modern, this exciting new body of work marks a significant moment in Stern's artistic development, a moment that we are thrilled to be able to introduce to you, our collector.

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