POWERHOUSE COLLECTION

'Rainforest' vase by Ola Hoeglund and Marie Simberg- Hoeglund

Object No. 2000/97/1

Among the most important developments in the history of 20th century glass in Europe was the emergence of Scandinavian glass, and in particular Swedish glass from the Orrefors and Kosta-Boda glassworks. Made possible by social reforms and a commitment to producing well-designed objects for all, new Swedish glassware originated in Orrefors in the 1910s where two artist-designers, Simon Gate (1883-1945) and Edward Hald (1883-1980), began working closely with factory craftspeople. They were soon to transform a traditional local industry into one of international reputation and influence, a key part of what today is known as Scandinavian Modern. Gate's and Hald's first works were made in colourless, highly reflective glass, finely wheel-engraved with classicising figurative designs. In 1916, inspired by the cased glass of Emile Galle, Gate pioneered the graal technique in which glass blanks could be cut, engraved or etched in coloured glass and then reheated in the furnace to impart fluidity to the design. They were then encased with an outer layer of molten glass. In the 1930s, the surface glass became very thick and the graal technique was often combined with the ariel technique. Ariel glass was developed about 1936 by Orrefors artists Edvin Oehrstroem, Vicke Lindstrand icke Lindstrand and master glass-blower Gustav Bergkvist. The technique relied on overlaying a layer of coloured glass with a clear glass layer and then engraving, etching or cutting the original form, before it is encased in clear glass and blown to a larger size, with trapped air bubbles enriching the effect. The graal technique was revived in the 1970s and further developed only recently by the Swedish artists Marie Simberg-Hoeglund and Ola Hoeglund who have lived and worked in New Zealand since 1982. As a result of their experiments, graal glass (inner layers) can now be also decorated by painting. Painted graal is the only type of painted glass that can reflect light. Hand-blown in lead-free crystal at the Hoeglund Glassblowing Studio in Nelson, the massive 'Rainforest' vase was made in early 2000. Its innovative design was achieved using a combination of the graal and ariel techniques. Drawing on some of the most complex glass techniques developed during the 20th century, the vase is an important example of the superb skills and artistic vision of Marie Simberg-Hoeglund and Ola Hoeglund who significantly enriched these Swedish techniques and found them a new home. Eva Czernis-Ryl, Curator, 2000