Glasstastic at BMAC. LeWitt at ICA.
Day trips from the Upper Valley
Brattleboro Museum and Art Center is open for business, with a 10th anniversary exhibition of Glasstastic. Over the past decade, BMAC has repeatedly paired children with professional glass artists. The kids create imaginary creatures—as only children can—with backstories. The glass artists interpret the kids’ designs into sculptures.
For this 10th anniversary, BMAC is exhibiting 27 pieces, including “Snoogle" designed by Sarah Balint-Wohl, Grade 5, created in glass by Jordana Korsen. (Photo, above, by Joshua Farr). When I first discovered Glasstastic in 2019, my favorite piece was “Jeff” design by elementary schooler Leo Elder, 3D realization by (adult) glass artist Josh Bernbaum (photo, below, by me). In his accompanying essay, Leo described Jeff as “kind and compassionate,” a lover of cupcakes who is “always happy.” Leo and Josh’s work so charmed me that it never left the photo archive on my phone.
Kids may especially appreciate this exhibition, but are not necessary for totally enjoyable viewing if you happen to be an adult on your own. Glasstastic is on display until June 13, 2021. For a complete list of participating designers and glass artists, as well as for more information about visiting BMAC, please click here.
Just a little farther afield from the UV . . . The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston opened on the first day of spring with a bold and colorful site-specific installation by Eva LeWitt. (Photo, above, courtesy of ICA) The ICA describes it as:
“a new, monumental hanging wall sculpture for the ICA’s Sandra and Gerald Fineberg Art Wall. Untitled (Mesh Circles) (2020) is made of bands of colorful coated mesh fabric whose shifting linear composition creates a number of interlocking circular forms. As Untitled’s crosshatched surface pattern and fields of color overlap and respond to ambient conditions of light, air, and movement, a shimmering moiré effect is produced, creating an uplifting experience that vibrates throughout the museum’s interior.”
An aside: Eva LeWitt is the daughter of artist Sol LeWitt, whose monumental works can be seen at MassMoCA, one of the only exhibition spaces large enough to contain them. If you go, bring very comfortable shoes.
For more information on the LeWitt exhibition at the ICA, click here.
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And in case you are wondering . . . Susan B. Apel shuttered a lifelong career as a law professor to continue an interest (since kindergarten) in writing. Her freelance business, The Next Word, includes literary and feature writing; her work has appeared in a variety of lit mags and other publications including Art New England, The Woven Tale Press, The Arts Fuse, and Persimmon Tree. She connects with her neighbors through Artful, her blog about arts and culture in the Upper Valley. She’s in love with the written word.