Jung, Frisch and Frei – The Young, the Beautiful and the really Annoying

Not only that the current exhibition in the Glass Museum Alter Hof Herding is conducted under this name, it also describes the concept of the renowned glass department of the Amsterdam Gerrit Rietveld Akademie, that enjoys a high reputation at international level and attracts young artists from all over the world.

Glass and the Rietveld Akademie are connected by a special common history: Since Sybren Valkema 1966 founded the glass department in the academy building, teachings and creation of arts have reciprocally influenced and fertilized themselves. Beyond doubt the role of the glass in the art has basically changed over the past 40 years. For a long period of time predominantly artists of the studio glass movement and the Free Design discovered the material, however, it has in the meantime found its way with all its possibilities and facets to the world of the „Fine Arts“. Besides other materials glass has also become a medium, an artistic concept to transform an idea and to visualize.

Glass as a visual medium? Just at this point the teachings start at the Rietveld Akademie: It wants to enable its students to bring their works in line with the complex demands of modern art and design. Therefore, the glass department of the Rietveld Akademie encourages an innovative, experimental and interdisciplinary use of the glass. Each student is facilitated in the process to unfold its special artistic and conceptual potential, to develop its own visual language and to reflect and challenge the work in context with the time in which we live. Glass is a difficult material so that technical skills and know-how must be acquired in order to work with it. The knowledge of material that every artist needs to materialize its concept and to create the artwork is presumed at the Rietveld Akademie.

The Foundation is delighted to present to you the works of 19 students and graduates of the glass department of the Amsterdam Rieiveld Akademie in the new exhibition „Jung, Frisch und Frei“. The young artists will be accompanied by Caroline Prisse, who has been running the glass department since 2003. The unusual free glass objects, sculptures and mixed-media installations are visualized stories, they bubble over freshness, unbiasedness, inventiveness and unexpected perspectives in the artistic community.

Photos:

Xandra Bremers, Morella, 2010 – Photo Paul Niessen

Frederic van Overschelde, Short stories – Trapped soul, 2008 – Photo Horst Kolberg

Sabrina Metselaar, o.T., 2010, Leihgabe Sabrina Metselaar – Photo Sabrina Metselaar

Mia Lerssi, Freedom belongs to the man who has the balls to take it, 2008, Leihgabe Mia Lerssi – Photo Alma Anselmi