An artist whose imagination is captured in fantastical, rainbow coloured, glass sculptures that are suspended from ceilings, juxtaposed with nature in botanical settings and illuminated in darkened halls to create an interactive and immersive experience for the viewer. His work, including stained glass, mixed media and drawings can be found across the globe, displayed in exhibitions, museums, hotels, gardens, water and even on a bridge. Not just an artist but also a teacher, Chihuly continues to innovate, exploring his ideas and experimenting with different mediums to create unexpected and unconventional art work.
Early life
Born in 1941, Dale Chihuly, an American artist, grew up in Tacoma, Washington and was first introduced to glass whilst studying interior design at the University of Washington. Having learnt the basics of melting and fusing glass, Chihuly became bored and dropped out of his studies, travelling to Florence to study art. A year later he returned home to continue his studies and during a weaving class, experimented with incorporating glass shards into his work. After graduating he began experimenting with blowing glass and received a scholarship to attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he studied glass blowing under the tuition of Harvey Littleton, who had established the first glass programme in the US. He went on to enroll at the Rhode Island School of Design before travelling to Venice to work at the Venini factory on the island of Murana, famous the world over for its glass. It was here that he first discovered the team approach to blowing glass which was to later influence his approach in creating the huge and intricate sculptures he is most famous for.
Chihuly Garden and Glass, Seattle It was on a visit to the UK in 1976 that he was involved in a car accident resulting in the loss of sight in his left eye. This coupled with a dislocated shoulder three years later meant that he was no longer able to hold the glass blowing pipe. He changed his approach by hiring a team to do the work for him, thus enabling him to concentrate on the design of his sculptures and to produce architectural glass art on a scale that would not be possible if working alone. Using colour, light, form and space, Chihuly doesn’t just create works of art but delivers immersive experiences that are totally unique.
Chihuly has created incredible and complex exhibitions all over the world and in the most unlikely of places. He is passionate about bringing art to people from all walks of life, inviting them to see it in a new light, whether by setting his pieces outside in gardens or hanging his work where you would least expect to find it, both inside and out, to encourage interaction with his work. Over the years he has supported many programmes for the homeless, veterans, young people and the elderly, more recently forming the Dale and Lesley Chihuly Foundation, inspiring and educating the public and supporting artists and art organisations.
Exhibitions
Collaborating with glassblowers from a number of different countries, between 1994 and 1996 he created Chihuly Over Venice where he hung a series of Chandeliers, lit by natural light, over canals and in the piazzas of his favourite city. Other glass forms were released to float freely along the Venetian canals.
In 2000 following a suggestion from a friend who was design curator at the Israel Museum, he created Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem, one of his most ambitious exhibitions, at the Tower of David Museum which received more than a million visitors. This involved shipping more than 10,000 pieces of glass weighing in excess of 47 tonnes to put together 15 exhibits as well as a wall composed of huge blocks of ice coloured by filters and lit from behind.
Chihuly then went on to mastermind a further 32 exhibitions of his work worldwide, the latest being held at Kew Gardens, London in 2019 where his work was displayed within the gardens and structures for the second time.
His work is also featured in permanent exhibitions such as Chihuly Garden and Glass
in Seattle, where in 2012 Chihuly was invited to design an exhibition hall, glasshouse and garden installations all watched over by the imposing Space Needle, itself an icon for originality and innovation. By following the link, you can access an audio tour and listen to Dale Chihuly talking about his inspiration for some of the prices in this exhibition.
https://www.chihulygardenandglass.com/m/tour/
Chihuly in London
Kew Gardens
If you were fortunate enough to visit this exhibition which ran for six months last year you would have been able to marvel at 32 visually stunning, unique and colourful pieces of art, one of which was created specifically for this project and suspended from the ceiling of the newly restored Temperate House. An after dark experience allowed visitors to appreciate the illuminated sculptures in the light of the setting sun accompanied specially commissioned music, creating a truly immersive experience.
V&A Rotunda Chandelier
This stunning blue and green sculpture can be found in the main entrance hall, suspended from the glass rotunda of the V&A Museum. Measuring 27ft in length and 12ft at its widest point, and comprising over 1400 individual blown elements wired to a steel armature. Originally installed by Chihuly in 1999, it was then modified and enlarged two years later when Chihuly decided it needed to be bigger.
Claridges Hotel
Comprising over 800 pieces of hand blown white glass, this sculpture known as the Gilded Dawn glass chandelier can be found in the Foyer. As you sit down for your afternoon tea be sure to look up and marvel at the intricacy of this imposing piece.
Sims Reed Gallery
The only current display in London at present, this gallery is displaying 29 fine art prints and 10 original works on paper and is available to be seen up until July 31st although at present, only by way of a virtual tour. https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=g2mBHz3G2aJ
Whilst Hillingdon Libraries and Borrowbox do not currently hold any books on Dale Chihuly, there is a wealth of material available on the Internet to look at, including lots of photographic examples of his work.
Thanks so much for reading.
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