Why the Chihuly Glass Exhibit is a Must See

This past fall, the Royal Ontario Museum had the privilege of showcasing the Chihuly Glass Exhibit. While this exhibit recently ended it’s run at the ROM, there are glass exhibits located at museums all over the world. Take a look and see if there is an exhibit in a city near you. You definitely want to check out these amazing glass sculptures!!

The artist

Dale Chihuly was born in Tacoma, Washington, on September 20, 1941. As an American glass sculptor his work is considered to be unique to the field of blown glass because they are in the realm of large-scale sculptures. He started working with glass in 1965 and continued his training in university and graduate programs. In 1976 he was in a car accident that left him severely cut and blinded in his left eye. He continued glassblowing until dislocating his shoulder in a bodysurfing accident in 1979. At this point he was no longer able to blow glass himself so he hired people to do the work for him. He found that this allowed him to see the work from more perspectives and to anticipate problems faster. His inability to directly blow glass has not slowed him down any. In fact his estimated sales for 2004 were reportedly $29 million!!

Chihuly Glass Exhibit

 

I mean right?? Look at this stuff, how amazing are these sculptures!! Mind = blown

This next Chihuly exhibit was installed in the ceiling!! There were bean bags on the floor so that you could lie down and look up at it. The wait for a bean bag was definitely worth it!!

 

Exhibits – where to see Chihuly

The largest permanent exhibit is at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. In partnership with MGM Resorts International there are 2 retail stores. One at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and the other at the MGM Grand Casino in Macau. You can also find his pieces in galleries all over the world. In addition to this collection in Toronto there was a collection last year in Mississippi and one in Atlanta. In 2017 there are exhibits planned for Catalina, the Bronx and Arkansas.

Why you Should visit a Museum

I love visiting museums and galleries! Walking around, checking out the exhibits allows you to get our of your head for a few minutes. There is something almost peaceful about it.

Not only to you get to experience some culture and learn more about other places, but exhibits can be inspiring! Just look at Chihuly. He continued working and creating these beautiful sculptures even after being blinded in one eye and dislocating his shoulder! His commitment to his craft is inspirational.

While I enjoy checking out the permanent exhibits on display there is something about seeing these limited collections. Knowing that in a few weeks/months there will be something new to look at definitely encourages you to come back!

The next time you travel, check out the local museums and galleries to see what is on display. You might be surprised at what you discover.