Compelled by Content II @ Fraser Gallery

Things have been hectic and by the time I got around to writing up a review of the show I find out that it is over. It closed on June 4. Still, it's a show worth discussing briefly and sharing images of things that caught my eye.

I find the concept of content in glass art to be incredibly valuable to the progression of the medium as fine art. We need more shows that keep pushing this boundary. In the second incarnation of this show (curated by Catriona Fraser, co-owner of the gallery) the works remain as interesting as in Tim Tate's curated show (Compelled I). However, many of the pieces in the show felt "light." What I mean is, when attempting to make a strong case for content in glass art, I'd expect to see strong content. That wasn't always the case in this shows as many pieces required you to supply your own content, something you can do with a Chihuly vessel.

One thing was made clear in this exhibition. We know that Tim Tate is the king of contemporary glass art in D.C. but he is now getting a run for his money from Michael Janis. Of course, these two work together at the Washington Glass School so a little competition is probably welcome. Janis, to his great credit, has been able to avoid following Tate's lead. Every time I see his work, Janis is innovating and pushing through personal boundaries. In every show Janis gives me something new and bless him for it. Without question, I felt he had the strongest piece in the show:

The piece is quiet and profound. The written text makes the content obvious without being the content. It's not a long story... it's a bullet point. The piece itself is elegant with a sense of rawness and despair. It's made of glass but it's so much more... a window to a dark place. Here Janis transcends the limits of glass art. Just think of what he'll show us in six months!

No post about this show would be complete without an image that includes Tate's work. I've personally seen what seems like tons of Reliquaries but they remain strong and surprisingly affordable. His best example is the piece at the right:

Though this piece is covered in text (Tate likes to relay personal stories in his pieces), because there are two glass domes with etched text, it makes it very difficult to read the top or bottom. Text, much like some earlier Molly Springfield paintings, that can't be easily read introduces an interesting challenge to the viewer. There's a story in the piece but it's beyond the text. One must look closely for the content. Maybe one must look beyond the story for the content.

If the artists in this show want to push the boundaries of content in glass art, I hope they will step up to the forefront to make it happen. Janis and Tate have opened the door for the others to walk through. Maybe the others could help destroy the entire wall. Once on the other side, well, the possibilities are endless.