I mentioned in a previous blog that I can’t seem to pass up glass without stopping to look for interesting reflections and colors. Most often the glass resides in windows or doors. Its job is to be as invisible as possible and simply show us what’s on the other side. Sometimes, however, the glass reveals a hidden personality that depends on the time of day, the angle of the sun, the angle of my approach, and other factors that only it knows.
Recently, while wandering through the Chazen Museum of Art, I came upon an interesting work entitled Optic Twist Screen #2 by Andy Paiko. It’s a big frame about 10′ x 10′ with beautiful glass ornaments of a variety of sizes and shapes hanging in columns within the frame. The glass is all colorless and the forms all exhibit cylindrical symmetry. That may sound monotonous but that is not the case. This piece is standing in front of a window and the way the varied shapes reflect and transmit color and form from the outside world adds to its fascination. OK, let me stop trying to explain and just show you some photos.
This is very different from the reflections that normally attract my attention, but it makes me appreciate the beauty that glass can attain when it’s allowed to be something other than a window. If you’re in the Madison area, stop down at the Chazen Museum of Art and enjoy it in person.