Sarah Pye
Editor in Chief
Pepperdine’s Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art will soon be overrun with the colorful works of a man who has been called one of the world’s most dynamic artists: Dale Chihuly.
“Chihuly: Los Angeles” will bring the vibrant blown glass sculptures of this world-renowned artist to the Pepperdine campus Nov. 21 through March 20, as well as to two other venues in the Los Angeles area.
“It is by far the most spectacular exhibition that we’ve had in the 12-year history of the museum,” said Dr. Michael Zakian, director of the Weisman Museum and Pepperdine professor of art history.
“Chihuly: Los Angeles” will include works by the artist displayed at the L.A. Louver in Venice and the Frank Lloyd Gallery in Santa Monica, in addition to at Pepperdine’s Weisman. Zakian said he first developed the idea for “Chihuly: Los Angeles” because bringing Chihuly’s sculptures to the three area venues was likely the only way he could get the artist’s work displayed at Pepperdine.
“Chihuly is one of the most famous artists in the world,” Zakian said. “He really does not do university galleries.”
But by teaming with two other area exhibitors, Zakian was able to bring Chihuly’s works to Pepperdine. With pieces displayed at such exotic locales as the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Tower of David Museum in Jerusalem Chihuly has brought blown glass as an artistic medium to all corners of the globe. His sculptures range from small and intimate objects made for private collectors to huge public sculptures to be appreciated by all. Characterized by brilliant colors, inventive forms and intricate detail, Chihuly sculptures are instantly recognizable by glass lovers.
In preparation for the show, the normally white walls at the Weisman will be painted a dark gray.
“Glass relies on light a great deal to create that sense of glowing color,” Zakian explained. “By making all of the walls a dark gray, the glass will look more dramatic against them.”
This will result in what the artist terms a “jewel box effect,” making the glass appear as precious gems do when framed by the dark velvets of display cases.
Highlights of the Chihuly collection to be seen at the Weisman Museum will include a glass tower that will stand 20 feet high in the large gallery, a cascading wall of Persians (small pieces made from a range of colors that often resemble sea shells), a Reed installation (long, cylindrical pieces that look like spears) and one of Chihuly’s twisting, curving, spiraling chandeliers (pictured), to be hung on the museum’s upper floor. In addition to the glasswork, a special installation of 28 drawings will reveal a different facet of Chihuly’s creative works.
The pieces Chihuly creates are often described as being autobiographical, with their inspiration rooted in his childhood in Tacoma, Wash. Many of his pieces are reminiscent of the ocean and marine life, while his “Baskets” series was inspired by the woven baskets made by Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest. And the many abstract flower forms he has created can be attributed to his memories of his mother’s garden in Tacoma.
Chihuly sculptures are designed for both indoor and outdoor installations, and the artist takes a particular interest in the way natural light affects the look and transparency of his glass. Some of Chihuly’s most famous installations have been designed to blend with nature, with large glass forms dripping from the limbs of trees in the woods, or brilliant glass orbs punctuating the flow of a stream.
Chihuly created many of the artworks that will be on display at Pepperdine specifically for this show. He created some of the other works previously, but will reconfigure them for the Pepperdine installation to complement the museum’s architecture. These elements combined will make the Pepperdine show unlike any previous display of Chihuly’s work.
Additionally, the concurrent exhibits of “Chihuly: Los Angeles” will display other aspects of the artist’s work. At the L.A. Louver in Venice, patrons can see some of the large-scale artworks in Chihuly’s new “Fiori” series, which was inspired by the artist’s recent work in glass houses and botanical gardens. A selection of unique, small-scale works in Chihuly’s “Baskets,” “Macchia” and “Seaforms” series will be on display at the Frank Lloyd Gallery in Santa Monica. Visit www.lalouver.com and www.franklloyd.com for more information on these exhibitions.
The Weisman Museum will be open during the Chihuly exhibition Tuesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The museum will also remain open until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. There is no charge for admission. Visit www.pepperdine.edu/arts/museum for more information.
10-28-2004
