Glass 'Igloo' lands at Haworth Art Gallery

International artist Stuart Haygarth has installed the latest of his spectacular art works at the Haworth Art Gallery in Accrington. Having recently exhibited at in New York, Japan and the V&A in London, this work represents a home coming for Haygarth, who grew up in the Accrington area.

Commissioned by Creativity Works as part of the region’s ReVisit programme, the spectacular and mesmerizing new work is Haygarth's response to the little known fact that the Haworth houses the largest collection of Tiffany glass outside of America. The work takes the form of an Igloo, constructed of hundreds of pieces of pressed glass, which are cocooned in the wooden panelling at the bottom of the Haworths's arts and craft staircase.

As Haygarth says about the work, “Tiffany glassware is commonly associated with lighting pieces, in particular table lamps and ceiling lights with intricate dome shaped shades. With this in mind, I decided to respond with a piece of work, which incorporates lighting to accentuate and celebrate the translucent quality of glass. I was drawn to the ubiquitous pressed crystal glassware, which is displayed in many UK households. This glass is heavily textured with angles and cuts which are reminiscent of ice crystals.”

The work is on display at the Haworth Art Gallery for the next six months, please see creativityworks.info for more details.

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Editors Notes:

1.    More images are available on request.

2.    Creativity Works is an initiative co-ordinated by the Arts and Cultural Officers of the six Pennine Lancashire districts (Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale), Arts Council England, Curious Minds, Lancashire County Council and Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.

3.    The ReVisit programme is a series of commissons by five national and international artists’ collaborations across Pennine Lancashire’s museums and galleries. The artists seek to throw new light on the venues’ beautiful and curious collections in order to bring the venues and their collections to a new audience. This work is funded by Arts Council England and Renaissance.

4.    Stuart Haygarth gives the following description of his work:

“Tiffany glassware is commonly associated with lighting pieces, in particular table lamps and ceiling lights with intricate dome shaped shades. With this in mind, I decided to respond with a piece of work, which incorporates lighting to accentuate and celebrate the translucent quality of glass.
Nature was a strong influence and inspiration on Tiffany designs and so I wanted to reference this aspect in the overall shape and design of my new piece. I was drawn to the ubiquitous pressed crystal glassware, which is displayed in many UK households. This glass is heavily textured with angles and cuts which are reminiscent of ice crystals. Tiffany glass utilizes many different manufacturing processes, which create a variety of sophisticated and decorative finishes such as Ring Mottle Glass and Herringbone Ripple Glass. The results are extremely colourful, ornate and textured. At the other end of the spectrum, pressed glass is relatively simple and inexpensive to produce but also has a distinctive charm.
IGLOO is a dome shaped structure created from a series of circular shelves of different heights. Hundreds of pieces of pressed glassware have been arranged according to height, the result is a magical crystal Igloo. The dome is illuminated to make the glass glow and sparkle, whilst the wooden panelled alcove at the bottom of the staircase warmly encloses the Igloo. The work can be viewed coming down the stairs and from ground level giving a different experience at each viewing stage.”

For more details contact:

Elaine Lees
Creativity Works Communications Officer
elaine.lees@blackburn.gov.uk
07528 382694

Laura Rodgers
Creativity Works Arts Engagement Officer
Laura.rodgers@blackburn.gov.uk
07896272045