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Fragile: handle with care

Glasrijk Tubbergen is an annual event, with several exhibitions in the field of stained glass, glass sculptures, antique glassware, glass objects, glass design and interior design. This year’s event is the 16th in line and follows the same pattern as previous years with a diverse collection displayed in various inside and outdoor locations around Tubbergen, which especially in the outdoor locations creates esoteric scenes.

This year the collection features curatorial works, pieces from an educational programme, and works from collections of artists, galleries and factories. Noteworthy in the curatorial part is the cooperation with the National Glass Museum and the Rijksmuseum Twenthe, providing a range of pieces: from thick moulded glass to thin blown glass, from modern objects to 17th century pieces.

Renowned artists, like Menno Jonker, are represented, Toin Rijven’s gallery has brought Czech glass from Jan Exnar to the table, but new artists are also featured at this event, such as Marinke van Zandwijk or students from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy. Click on the image at the top for some pictures from the event.

As design engineer, you always try to look for new materials and production techniques that can be applied, combined, or integrated in a novel way when developing new concepts, products or solutions. Of course, sometimes it can just be pleasant to look outside your field for inspiration. Glass is not a material you often come in contact with when designing a product (with the exception of packaging design), but it is an inspiring material to work with. Watching the glass blowing demonstration by Mark Locock for example was quite mesmerising: to watch the fluidity of the material, the transition of colours along the spectrum, the corresponding flexible work process, etc.

What stood out to me with this event, something I have noticed the previous years as well, is the lack of variety in the audience. There are only two age groups present: over 50 and around 15, the latter doing it as part of a school assignment. It is a shame there appears to be no broad interest for the event, as the wide range of objects should surely appeal to a broad audience.

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My blog describes events from my life related to design and engineering. Hopefully it will give you more insight into my work processes and personal interests.

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