Destination Glass

Glass as a destination – with our new exhibition we want to take you to an expedition through the manifold world of glass.

For that purpose we have gathered glass from five different collections. They are representative works that show the medium glass from its history to the present age, ranging from its convenience up to the free art, from hollow glass up to the flat glass. For this extensive exhibition the Foundation has invited established and renowned museums, to present their varied orientations and core areas which are last not least distinguished through the typical history. Each museum throws a completely new bright light on the material.

The LWL Industriemuseum / Westfälisches Landesmuseum for industrial culture – glass factory Gernheim in Petershagen is located in the historical buildings of a former glass factory. Besides a museum presentation of the glass manufacture in the 19th and 20th Century the museum sponsors artists to manufacture their works in the glass furnace. The glass museum Immenhausen is located on the premises of the former glass factory Richard Süßmuth, who developed sophisticated art and utility glass, among others, the renowned AE series with filigran shining cut. The museum is engaged in the regional historic glass tradition ranging up to the modern international studio glass art. Das Deutsche Glasmalerei-Museum Linnich is a nation-wide unique museum for flat glass painting that offers a platform to the national and international glass painting. Linnich became the location of the museum because the oldest German glass painting workshop Oidtmann since 1857 is domiciled here still being active. The LWL Museum for Art and Culture in Münster accommodates in its collection for regional history historical glass from Westphalia too. The glass museum Rheinbach with the collection Mülstroh exhibits in its permanent exhibition valuable glasses from baroque up to contemporary studio glass and provides an overview of the Bohemian glass manufacture and refinement. Rheinbach became glass city with the State-recognized Special Glass School through the settlement of Sudeten German glass refiners after the Second World War.

Inspiration for our new exhibition came through the cooperation with the network glass museums, a cooperation project between glass museums and collections from NRW. The glass museum network will call forth curiosity and interest and cause amazement regarding the unlimited creative possibilities of the material glass.

Photos:

Karin Hubert, Gluckerflaschen, 2013 – Leihgabe LWL-Industriemuseum Westfälisches Landesmuseum für Industriekultur – Glashütte Gernheim – Photo Martin Holtappels

Richard Süßmuth, Serie AE 364 mit Strahlenschliff, 1954, Leihgabe Glasmuseum Immenhausen – Photo Christian Ruhlig

Renate Groß, Beziehungskiste Wassermond, 1995, Leihgabe Glasmuseum Rheinbach – Photo Siegmut Seeger

Anton Wendling, Sternrose, 1957, Leihgabe Deutsches Glasmalerei-Museum Linnich – Photo Stefan Johnen