Glass is a major focus of this year’s fair, and we will be among the internationally important galleries represented at the art fair, which attracts high profile art collectors from around the world, looking to purchase the best in contemporary art and craft.James Bustard, Director of National Glass Centre said ‘We are extremely proud to be the only gallery in the North of England to be exhibiting at COLLECT this year.COLLECT provides an excellent opportunity for National Glass Centre to profile the skill of the North East’s finest artists working in glass and highlight the wealth of Sunderland’s glass-making talent, on an international platform.’
Graham Dolphin, Andrew Livingstone, James Maskrey, Colin Rennie, Jeffrey Sarmiento and Erin Dickson will represent the region with artworks which were created at our world class production facilities.
Most are members of the internationally renowned Glass and Ceramics teaching and research team at the University of Sunderland. Graham Dolphin is a fine artist who has worked with the department to develop new work in glass. All were included in the National Glass Centre’s Kith and Kin exhibitions in 2011 and 2012.
Jeffrey Sarmiento and Erin Dickson will present their impressive glass sculpture Emotional Leak (pictured), which was originally commissioned for Kith and Kin. This digitally crafted artwork is made of 416 waterjet-cut glass sheets and weighs over 1000kg, and has been transported to the Saatchi in 12 large crates for the artists to construct on site. The artwork is based on a time-lapse photographic recording of a literal leak from under the glass ceiling of National Glass Centre.
This will be Sarmiento’s third showing at COLLECT, but he is particularly excited about taking an ambitious new work to the fair. He said, “We have extended Emotional Leak to four metres high to touch the ceiling of the Saatchi Gallery. It’s a fusion of digital technology and glassmaking at a monumental scale.” Sarmiento and Maskrey will also be giving artist talks as part of the fair’s public programme.
Kevin Petrie, Professor of Glass and Ceramics and Head of Glass and Ceramics at the University Sunderland said ‘This exhibition is a great chance to showcase how the value National Glass Centre places on research is leading to the production of innovative and exciting new artworks.’
COLLECT: The International Art Fair for Contemporary Objects will take place at Saatchi Gallery, London 10 – 13 May 2013.
National Glass Centre is re-opening on 29 June 2013, following a £2.2 Million re-development project.