Museum JAN is celebrating its 35th anniversary this autumn with a retrospective exhibition by Richard Price (1960, UK), one of the most important glass artists in the Netherlands. Vloeibaar meesterschap shows a broad overview of his blown and cast glass art, from early work to recent creations. In addition to masterpieces from the permanent collection of Museum JAN, hidden treasures from private collections are on display that are being shown to the general public for the first time.
Price graduated in the late 80s from the glass department of the Gerrit Rietveld Academie (now The Large Glass Department), where he initially focused on cast glass sculptures. After graduating, he traveled the world and worked together with international greats such as Andries Copier, Dale Chihuly and Lino Tagliapietra, from whom he learned the finer points of the craft. Back in the Netherlands, he developed into one of the best glassblowers in the country. His mark on Dutch glass art is significant; not only through his own work, but also through his long-standing role at the iconic Glasblazerij Tetterode and his collaborations with leading artists such as Mieke Groot and Richard Meitner.
Thailand as a spiritual home
The exhibition offers a unique journey through his oeuvre, with his unparalleled craftsmanship in diverse, complex techniques as a common thread. In his work, Price combines whimsically blown glass with solid cast glass. He draws his inspiration from humans and animals – recurring motifs are fish, horses, birds, babies and children. In addition, Price cherishes a deep love for Thailand, his spiritual home, where he has stayed for a few months each year since 1990 and works in his own studio. This influence is clearly visible: his glass sculptures are often enriched with extravagant, colorful decorations with a nod to traditional Thai headdresses and clothing. His affinity with Buddhism is also visible in his creations.
In addition to masterpieces from the permanent collection of Museum JAN, Vloeibaar meesterschap brings together a unique selection of works from various private collections. For the public, this is a rare opportunity to admire hidden treasures that normally remain behind closed doors. An absolute must-see for enthusiasts of this unique craft.
A long affinity
Since its founding in 1991, glass art has been central to Museum JAN – formerly Museum Jan van der Togt. The permanent collection focuses on studio glass, the international movement that emerged in the second half of the twentieth century, in which glass artists with their own furnace were no longer dependent on craftsmen in the glass factory. Supplemented with contemporary Dutch glass, the museum's collection reflects the versatility of the craft. Richard Price has been represented from the very beginning: the museum followed and purchased his work from the start of his career and dedicated exhibitions to it.
That this unique affinity is being sealed right now, during the 35th anniversary of Museum JAN, with a grand overview of Price's oeuvre, is no coincidence. Vloeibaar meesterschap forms a double tribute: on the one hand to a visionary artist who exposes the unprecedented possibilities of molten glass like no other, and on the other hand to the museum itself, which has unconditionally believed in the power of this craft since its founding.
Provisions for people with reduced mobility
Provisions for people who are blind or partially sighted
