The Glass Heap Challenge does not follow an established and elaborate plan, it is simple, inclusive and embraces the element of uncertainty. No one knows ahead of time what sort of raw materials will be on hand, often what type of space will be available, what kind of equipment or technical assistance will be on site, nor indeed, as some of the teams are made up of people who have never met each other, who they will be working with.
We hope this uncertainty will inspire you, as it has done previous participants, to meet the Challenge with a much greater level of energy and excitement than a more structured approach would give.
Our aim is for the resulting finished pieces to create a legacy of art works, objects and products that will inspire and add value to future markets.
The Glass Heap Challenge takes place at The Glass Factory, which is an experience-based interactive glass museum located in the heart of the Swedish Kingdom of Crystal. The museum and hot shop serves as a knowledge centre and creative meeting place for artists, designers and visitors, for more info: www.theglassfactory.se and www.glassheapchallenge.com
Participation
Six international Artists/Designers/Makers will be invited to participate in the Challenge
Dates: 7th -17th October 2015 at The Glass Factory, Boda Glasbruk, Sweden
Travel and Accommodation: participants’ travel expenses will be covered and accommodation provided.
Please express your interest to take part in the Glass Heap Challenge Sweden by contacting info@glassheapchallenge.com and we will then send you an application form.
Application Deadline: Friday 18th September 2015
Glass Heap Challenge exhibition: 17th Oct – 8th November 2015. The exhibition will run alongside an already existing travelling exhibition from Finland, ‘Second Life’.
Size of exhibition space: approx. 120 square metres. A Seminar/Conference about sustainability
Our Partners
Linnéuniversity, (masterstudents and professor, design and sustainability): http://lnu.se/utbildning/kurser/2DI682
Glafo (Glasforskningsinstitutet: http://www.glafo.se/eng_index.htm
Glasriket AB: http://www.glasriket.se/sv
Glasriketuppdraget: http://glasrikeuppdraget.se/
Svensk glasåtervinning: http://www.glasatervinning.se/
Kalmarsunds Promotion: http://www.kalmarsundpromotion.se/ Regionförbundet Kalmar län: http://www.rfkl.se/
Kulturrådet, Stockholm: http://www.kulturradet.se/
The Glass Factory
Technical Specification
Hot Shop
Approximately 800 square metres in size with seats for public viewing and a minor exhibition space of approx. 120 square metres.
Benches, Furnaces and Reheating Furnaces
Furnaces can process 200 kg glass per day; 3 - 4 benches in två workstations; 2 reheating furnaces, one of diameter 50-60 cm (hexador) and the other of 40 cm; pipe warmer/roller; hand-torches; map gas; 2 annealing kilns with 2 doors above and below; colours provided with special colours available on order; archive containing different moulds; two marvers; 4 small marvering tables; one fusing kiln; one grail kiln; cold workshop for cutting, engraving; machines for blasting.
In the 1960s and 70s Boda teemed with life and creativity. This was the place where Boda Smithy, Boda Wood and Boda Nova were founded. But above all glass was given new and unique shapes by legends such as Erik Höglund, Signe Persson-Melin, Monica Backström, Rolf Sinnemark and Kjell Engman.
In 2009, the Municipality of Emmaboda secured the extensive historical glass collections from Boda, Kosta and Åfors glassworks. Boda, where such great creativity has flourished, is the location of The Glass Factory – one of Scandinavia’s largest glass museums.
The Glass Factory is an experience-based, interactive glass museum with a quality-assured operation located in the heart of the Kingdom of Crystal. The museum serves as a knowledge centre and creative meeting place for artists, designers and visitors.
The Glass Factory has Sweden’s most comprehensive collection of art glass, which consists of about 50,000 objects from various glassworks by more than 60 artists who have worked with glass. As a result The Glass Factory is Sweden’s only re-oriented glass museum that can create a distinctive, all-inclusive identity for itself with its continuous and quality-assured glass activities. These will include temporary exhibitions, hot spots, core collection exhibitions, presentation of exhibitions for children and young people as well as an expanded programme of activities, with lectures, happenings, glass shows, theatre performances and workshops.
The Glass Factory will offer an extensive variety of shows with different perspectives both for adults and for children and young people as well as a quality-assured programme of educational activities.
The museum takes part in the public dialogue. The experience and the visitor are the focal points. The Glass Factory is actively engaged in bringing together various participants from different disciplines, such as handicrafts, theatre and cinema. External collaborators will be invited to actively participate in producing exhibitions and to work with the collections.
A pivotal part of the museum’s activities is the hot shop. The hot shop has a core production of high artistic quality as a basis for operations. In addition glass shows, happenings, demonstrations and other events will take place there. Contemporary national and international artists and designers will be invited to experiment with glass as a material and to discover new means of expression. Visitors will have an opportunity to give it a try and to find out how it feels to work with glass and develop their creative abilities.
Through activities in the hot shop, through presentation of exhibitions, programmes and interdisciplinary experimental collaboration and through national and international exchanges, The Glass Factory is actively engaged in enhancing, developing and strengthening glass as an art form in Sweden.
Through its role as a creative meeting place for national and international participants within the realm of glass, The Glass Factory serves as a revitalising force for the Kingdom of Crystal’s future and its glass production. The Glass Factory acts as a catalyst for development throughout the region and has a quality-assured creative operation with an international identity that can advance everyone’s opportunities for cultural experiences.
THE GLASS FACTORY
Storgatan 5
S-360 65 Boda glasbruk
Sweden
www.theglassfactory.se
