Matthew Szösz

Aug 21

Written By Admin

BETATESTERS

© Matthew Szösz, photo by James Harnois.

Technical prowess meets a punk attitude in Matthew Szösz’s ongoing exploration of the limits of glass. Although he gained greater control as he developed his Inflatables series over fifteen years, the process remains an investigation within the pursuit of surprising others and himself. To create these pieces, Szösz first cuts salvaged or found window glass into a desired shape and stacks the resulting sheets between layers of ceramic fiber paper to prevent fusion. When he applies heat to the stacked sheets, a cavity forms between them through which he pumps compressed air and inflates the glass. The form puffs, cools, and solidifies in seconds, as if by magic. This process allows him to work without a team, which goes against typical blown glass practices.

Each Inflatable results from a collaboration between the material, physics, and Szösz’s careful engineering. Simple two-dimensional shapes become complex compositions with exoskeletons and engorged bodies, with recent versions made of metal-coated iridized glass that appear extraterrestrial. Other experimentations using commonplace machinery (as opposed to high-tech digital tools) include making glass lace to underscore the material’s inherent fragility and fluidity and weaving sculptures out of glass rope.

B. 1974, Providence, RI
Lives and works in Seattle, WA

matthewszosz.com
@c.matthewszosz