art and design
Colour of the Afterlife – glass art exhibition is open until 4.2.2024
Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9, Floor 2B, Finlayson historical district, Tampere, Finland.
Gallery open Wed-Fri 11-18, Sat-Sun 12-16. Free admission.
Update : the exhibition is extended until 4th of February, meet the artist event is held on Sunday 7th of Janury 1-3pm, welcome!
English version later :
Tervetuloa näyttelyyni Galleria Himmelblaulla 9.12.2023-7.1.2024!
Avajaisia vietetään lauantaina 9.12. klo 16-19.
Ella Varvio : Tuonpuoleisen värejä
Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9, Finlaysonin alue, Tampere
Galleria avoinna ke-pe 11-18, la-su 12-16. Suljettu ma, ti ja juhlapyhät.
Tuonpuoleisen värejä tuo Galleria Himmelblaun Puuvilla-saliin Ella Varvion tarinallista lasitaidetta. Teokset ovat saaneet innoituksensa vanhan kiinalaisen keramiikan väreistä ja uskomuksista. Lasiin on piirtynyt tuonpuoleisen ratsuja ja teosten valmistukseen on käytetty perinteisiä käsityötekniikoita kuten lasinpuhallusta ja kaiverrusta. Näyttelyssä on myös linkki uuteen lasitutkimukseen, sillä esillä on Tampereen yliopiston fotoniikan laboratorion kanssa toteutettua väritutkimusta. Fotoniikka eli valotiede tutkii lasia valona läpäisevänä aineena, monialaisessa PhotonArt hankkeessa selvitettiin kiinalaisen keramiikan lasitteiden värejä ja luotiin niiden pohjalta lasinpuhallukseen soveltuvia lasivärireseptejä.
Näyttelyä ja PhotonArt -hanketta on tukenut Suomen Kulttuurirahaston Pirkanmaan Rahasto.
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Welcome to my exhibition at Galleria Himmelblau 9.12.2023-7.1.2024! The vernissage is held on Saturday 9th of December at 4-7pm
Ella Varvio : Colours of the Afterlife. Galleria Himmelblau, Finlaysoninkuja 9, Finlayson historical district, Tampere, Finland
Gallery open Wed-Fri 11-18, Sat-Sun 12-16. Closed Mon-Tue and on public holidays. Free admission.
Colours of the Afterlife brings Ella Varvio’s glass art to Galleria Himmelblau. The artworks are inspired by colours and subjects of ancient Chinese ceramics. Varvio’s imagery is often narrative and her art pieces are made using traditional craft techniques such as glassblowing and engraving. Moreover the exhibition has a link to new glass research as there is a section about colour research conducted together with Tampere University Photonics Laboratory. Photonics is the science of light and it studies glass as a material that transmits light. In the multidisciplinary PhotonArt project colours of old Chinese glazes were analyzed to create new glass materials.
The exhibition and PhotonArt project is supported by Finnish Cultural Trust Pirkanmaa Regional Funds
This summer our PhotonArt project proceeded to the actual melting and blowing of coloured glasses. For this I had rented the Lasikomppania glass studio in Nuutajärvi and I was full of nervous excitement. Making glass is expensive and you’re never fully certain of the outcomes… Luckily all went very well!
The colour recipes were designed by Tampere University Photonics Laboratory as part of PhotonArt -project that combines art and science. Our project leader Dr. Laeticia Petit is the professor of photonic glasses at Tampere University and her team researches glass as a tool to transport light. Photonic glasses have applications in optical fibers, lasers, optical amplifiers, multicolor displayers, just to cite a few.
In the PhotonArt project we have investigated colours of glass and glazes both from artists and scientists point of view. The project is supported by Finnish Cultural Trust Pirkanmaa Regional Funds.
All the colours turned out super nice and were suitable for glassblowing. The days at the studio were hectic and hard work as we produced new artworks. Many thanks to my gaffers and studio staff : Jenni Sorsa, Samuli Parkkinen and Alge Julija.
Some of the shapes are inspired by ancient Chinese vessels and vases. These new artworks are not yet ready as they need coldworking and engraving. I’m however, already very pleased with how they turned out.
The final results can be seen in Tampere at the end of this year. Stay tuned, still some months to go but lots to do!
Galleria Himmelblau, Tampere, Finland 9.12.2023-7.1.2024
Ella Varvio