Glassblowing is the technique of blowing through a tube to inflate molten glass into a bubble. In this piece, angular edges like cut bamboo are combined with the soft curves of the blown glass. Kobayashi Mitsugi’s trademarks are shapes inspired by observations of nature and the use of colorless and blue transparent glass. The intricate shadows created by the light also lend the work charm. Kobayashi’s first encounter with glass was in 1965, when he was transferred to the New York branch of Noritake, the tableware company where he worked. He was put in charge of design at the glass factory and became fascinated by the dynamism of the glass blowing workshop. This piece is representative of his art from the 1990s, when he set up a furnace in his home and began devoting himself to making glass.
(HASEGAWA Tamao)
Glassblowing is the technique of blowing through a tube to inflate molten glass into a bubble. In this piece, angular edges like cut bamboo are combined with the soft curves of the blown glass. Kobayashi Mitsugi’s trademarks are shapes inspired by observations of nature and the use of colorless and blue transparent glass. The intricate shadows created by the light also lend the work charm. Kobayashi’s first encounter with glass was in 1965, when he was transferred to the New York branch of Noritake, the tableware company where he worked. He was put in charge of design at the glass factory and became fascinated by the dynamism of the glass blowing workshop. This piece is representative of his art from the 1990s, when he set up a furnace in his home and began devoting himself to making glass.
(HASEGAWA Tamao)