Glass Heap Challenge

Glass Heap Challenge, Sweden at
The Glass Factory 7-17 October 2015
Following several successful events across the UK and last year in Dutch
Design Week Eindhoven, NL, the 9th in the series of Glass Heap Challenges is
going to Sweden.
For the first time in its manufacturing history, the production of glass has reached
a tipping point. Globally, there is now enough waste glass in circulation to make
it completely unnecessary to mine raw materials. Not only can we avoid adding
to the heaps of waste glass designated 'low value' and stockpiled across our
planet, we can even reduce the amount of waste we already have.
The challenge is now beholden on all of us, artists, designers and glass
protagonists to find and demonstrate unique, creative and inspiring works which
showcase the myriad applications of stockpiled waste glass.
www.glassheapchallenge.com
The Glass Heap Challenge does not follow an established and elaborate plan, it
is simple, inclusive and embraces the element of uncertainty. No one knows
ahead of time what sort of raw materials will be on hand, often what type of
space will be available, what kind of equipment or technical assistance will be on
site, nor indeed, as some of the teams are made up of people who have never
met each other, who they will be working with.
We hope this uncertainty will inspire you, as it has done previous participants, to
meet the Challenge with a much greater level of energy and excitement than a
more structured approach would give.
Our aim is for the resulting finished pieces to create a legacy of art works,
objects and products that will inspire and add value to future markets.
The Glass Heap Challenge takes place at The Glass Factory, which is an
experience-based interactive glass museum located in the heart of the Swedish
Kingdom of Crystal. The museum and hot shop serves as a knowledge centre
and creative meeting place for artists, designers and visitors, for more info:
www.theglassfactory.se .
Participation
• Six international Artists/Designers/Makers will be invited to
participate in the Challenge
• Dates: 7th -17th October 2015 at
The Glass Factory, Boda Glasbruk, Sweden
• Travel and Accommodation: participants’ travel expenses will be
covered and accommodation provided.
• Please express your interest to take part in the Glass Heap
Challenge Sweden by contacting info@glassheapchallenge.com
and we will then send you an application form.
• Application Deadline: Friday 18th September 2015
• Glass Heap Challenge exhibition: 17th Oct – 8th November 2015.
The exhibition will run alongside an already existing travelling
exhibition from Finland, ‘Second Life’.
• Size of exhibition space: approx. 120 square metres.
• A Seminar/Conference about sustainability
Our Partners
•
Linnéuniversity, (masterstudents and professor, design and sustainability):
http://lnu.se/utbildning/kurser/2DI682
•
Glafo (Glasforskningsinstitutet: http://www.glafo.se/eng_index.htm
•
Glasriket AB: http://www.glasriket.se/sv
•
Glasriketuppdraget: http://glasrikeuppdraget.se/
•
Svensk glasåtervinning: http://www.glasatervinning.se/
•
Kalmarsunds Promotion: http://www.kalmarsundpromotion.se/
•
Regionförbundet Kalmar län: http://www.rfkl.se/
•
Kulturrådet, Stockholm: http://www.kulturradet.se/
The Glass Factory
Technical Specification
Hot Shop
Approximately 800 square metres in size with seats for public viewing and a minor
exhibition space of approx. 120 square metres.
Benches, Furnaces and Reheating Furnaces
Furnaces can process 200 kg glass per day; 3 - 4 benches in två workstations; 2
reheating furnaces, one of diameter 50-60 cm (hexador) and the other of 40 cm; pipe
warmer/roller; hand-torches; map gas; 2 annealing kilns with 2 doors above and below;
colours provided with special colours available on order; archive containing different
moulds; two marvers; 4 small marvering tables; one fusing kiln; one grail kiln; cold
workshop for cutting, engraving; machines for blasting.
www.theglassfactory.se
The Glass Factory
Storgatan 5
360 65 Boda glasbruk
Sweden
The Glass Factory
In the 1960s and 70s Boda teemed with life and creativity. This was the place where Boda Smithy, Boda Wood and Boda
Nova were founded. But above all glass was given new and unique shapes by legends such as Erik Höglund, Signe
Persson-Melin, Monica Backström, Rolf Sinnemark and Kjell Engman.
In 2009, the Municipality of Emmaboda secured the extensive historical glass collections from Boda, Kosta and Åfors
glassworks. Boda, where such great creativity has flourished, is the location of The Glass Factory – one of Scandinavia’s
largest glass museums.
Experience-based, interactive glass
museum – with its finger on the pulse!
The Glass Factory is an experience-based, interactive glass museum
with a quality-assured operation located in the heart of the Kingdom
of Crystal. The museum serves as a knowledge centre and creative
meeting place for artists, designers and visitors.
Sweden’s only re-oriented glass
museum – A knowledge centre where
history provides perspective on the
present!
The Glass Factory has Sweden’s most comprehensive collection of
art glass, which consists of about 50,000 objects from various
glassworks by more than 60 artists who have worked with glass. As a
result The Glass Factory is Sweden’s only re-oriented glass museum
that can create a distinctive, all-inclusive identity for itself with its
continuous and quality-assured glass activities. These will include
temporary exhibitions, hot spots, core collection exhibitions,
presentation of exhibitions for children and young people as well as
an expanded programme of activities, with lectures, happenings,
glass shows, theatre performances and workshops.
The Glass Factory will offer an extensive variety of shows with
different perspectives both for adults and for children and young
people as well as a quality-assured programme of educational
activities.
Creative meeting place for
collaboration, participation and
experimental processes!
The museum takes part in the public dialogue. The experience and the
visitor are the focal points. The Glass Factory is actively engaged in
bringing together various participants from different disciplines, such
as handicrafts, theatre and cinema. External collaborators will be
invited to actively participate in producing exhibitions and to work with
the collections.
The hot shop as the heart –
international exchanges, diversity
and artistic excellence!
A pivotal part of the museum’s activities is the hot shop. The hot
shop has a core production of high artistic quality as a basis for
operations. In addition glass shows, happenings, demonstrations and
other events will take place there. Contemporary national and
international artists and designers will be invited to experiment with
glass as a material and to discover new means of expression. Visitors
will have an opportunity to give it a try and to find out how it feels to
work with glass and develop their creative abilities.
A forum for artistic renewal and
quality that promotes the
development of Swedish glass
and broadens the concept of
glass!
Through activities in the hot shop, through presentation of exhibitions,
programmes and interdisciplinary experimental collaboration and
through national and international exchanges, The Glass Factory is
actively engaged in enhancing, developing and strengthening glass as
an art form in Sweden.
The regional development factor!
Through its role as a creative meeting place for national and
international participants within the realm of glass, The Glass Factory
serves as a revitalising force for the Kingdom of Crystal’s future and its
glass production. The Glass Factory acts as a catalyst for
development throughout the region and has a quality-assured creative
operation with an international identity that can advance everyone’s
opportunities for cultural experiences.