Western Gallery to present 'Transformations 6: Contemporary Works in Glass' from Jan. 19 to March 13

The Western Gallery will present “Transformations 6: Contemporary Works in Glass,” an exhibit that unites the work of 28 internationally recognized and emerging artists, from Jan. 19 through March 13.

Inspired by the common theme of “transformation,” all of the artists used methods associated with glass – blowing, casting, sculpting, etc. – combined with materials such as bone, aluminum, and found objects to create their works. The result is a transformation of glass into contemporary art and the exploration of communication and transparency in today’s society through social, political and personal reflections.

Each of the artists within the exhibition has been the recipient of The Raphael Founder's Prize, a biennial award established in 1997 to showcase artists who are expanding the boundaries in their field through new techniques, ideas, and approaches to their medium. The exhibition was organized by the Society for Contemporary Craft of Pittsburgh, Penn.

Five artists from the Northwest are featured in the exhibition: Robert Carlson of Bainbridge Island, Paul Marioni of Seattle, Kait Rhoads of Seattle, Robert Snyder of Vashon Island, and Mark Zirpel of Seattle. “Pair,” by Zirpel, the Raphael top award winner, evokes the fragile nature of interconnected relationships through a Harlequinesque installation involving machinery, water and body parts.

Admittance to the exhibition is free and open to the public.

Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, except Wednesdays when the gallery is open until 8 p.m., and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Frequently live music and poetry readings are presented in the gallery on Wednesday evenings. For more event details please visit http://westerngallery.wwu.edu/.

The Western Gallery offers Western Washington University and the community diverse experiences in the visual arts, while providing a point of reference to the national and international art scene. The Gallery creates an environment for learning through historical, contemporary and experimental art exhibitions; through the outdoor collection of contemporary culture; through publications and through interpretative interdisciplinary programs. The Gallery serves as a center for discussion and exchange of ideas on critical issues in contemporary art and plays a large role in expanding awareness of the visual arts.