The Endeavor Continues

We’ve said it before: It takes a team to pull off the installation of a gallery space this large. This week, the work continued in the Contemporary Art + Design Wing with special attention paid to one piece: Endeavor, by Lino Tagliapietra.

The 18 glass forms of Endeavor are made to appear abstract—airy objects floating in space. But the work that goes into making that happen is an endeavor all its own.

Cables have hung from the ceiling for weeks, a sign of what’s to come.

This week, more was added to space: 2x4s that are used to determine the desired positioning of the objects. Mock-ups are used as much as possible during the process of installing glass, so as not to subject the actual objects to more risk than is necessary. In this case, the installation team hangs the 2x4s, allowing curator Tina Oldknow to determine which pieces need to be raised or lowered before the glass is installed next week. The 18 crates of glass wait nearby.

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It’s one of the more complicated installations in the galleries, for sure, but when it’s finished, the forms convey a sense of whimsy and effortlessness.

Endeavor was made by Lino Tagliapietra, recognized as one of the foremost glass artists alive today. A maestro at 21, he spent decades honing his craft, and created Endeavor at age 70—after a lifetime of experience. It speaks to the powerful mystery of glass, allowing all who view it to speculate about what it represents. Is it a flock of birds? A school of fish? Abstract strokes of color? Some think the forms resemble a fleet of boats, much like the uniquely-proportioned gondolas that navigate Venice’s Grand Canal—a natural inspiration for Tagliapietra, who calls the nearby island of Murano home.

Free-floating objects dangling from above was a theme in the galleries this week, with Silvia Levenson’s It’s Raining Knives, also being installed.

Several weeks ago, paper mock-ups hung when glass now dangles. The piece is personal for Levenson—a way to come to terms with the fear she experienced as a child due to political unrest in her home country Argentina. Levenson says she uses knives in her work because they are ordinary, everyday objects that can suddenly become dangerous, symbolizing the possibility of violence rather than violence itself. It’s Raining Knives “is not supposed to make people feel anxious,” she says, “but to make them feel better.” She sees it as a way to face our most uncomfortable emotions.

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The Amphitheater Hot Shop saw more glassmaking this week, while directly below it, progress was being made in the Cold Shop. This space will be used by the Museum’s gaffers and guest artists for techniques not possible on the stage above. The shop will have a space for grinding and polishing glass, a mold room to make molds for castings, a kiln-forming room, and a flameworking station. There will also be a guest artist workshop where our visiting artists can work when they’re not involved in a demonstration on the main stage.

Also this week, some equipment returned home. Glass lathes, which rotate diamond-edged wheels to cut patterns into glass, were reinstalled in the space where they were originally used by Steuben Glass workers.

As always, remember to save the date for our grand opening weekend, packed with special tours, guest designers at our 2300° celebration, and free admission from March 20-22.