For followers of renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly, this lavishly illustrated overview of four decades of the master's work is a detailed resource and a delight to peruse. For anyone unfamiliar with Chihuly's glass art, Chihuly: On Fire is likely to covert them to fans.
Chihuly's works, created by teams he leads, are exhibited worldwide. With 166 full-color plates, this coffee-table book features two-page spreads of Chihuly's pieces, full-page photos and snapshots, including pictures of artists at work in various studios, primarily the Seattle Boathouse and Pilchuk Glass School in Stanwood, Wash. In just 32 pages of the 212-page work, art historian Henry Adams summarizes Chihuly's life and his 11 "series" of blown-glass art, the latest developed in 2013. Adams's essay is technically detailed yet accessible to the unschooled, and reveals Chihuly's passion and inspiration.
"Cylinders," Chihuly's first series, was inspired by Native American blanket designs. His early training was in weaving, and he returned to this theme in "Baskets." Next came "Seaforms," followed by "Macchia," "Persians," "Ikebana," "Jerusalem Cylinders" and more. While the series' titles suggest a simplistic interpretation, each iteration of glassblowing was unusual and more challenging.
Although Adams notes that "no text can quite convey the fire, heat and implicit danger--as well as the creative excitement, suspense, and improvisation--of one of Chihuly's glassblowing sessions," the narrative and the breathtaking photos (works are depicted against a solid black background) in Chihuly: On Fire effectively bring the magnificence of the art to the reader. --Cheryl Krocker McKeon, manager, Book Passage, San Francisco