Dale Chihuly Across Florida
What artist doesn´t dream of super-stardom, of breaking out of the pack like an American Idol? One who did is Seattle-based, innovative master glassblower artist Dale Chihuly, an art world phenomenon who surged to the top of the charts with awesome well-deserved national and international recognition. Chihuly sightings (his glass objects, that is) have circled the globe; from Norfolk´s Chrysler Museum of Art, to a delicate hanging chandelier at the White House, to the Doges Palace. And last spring, simultaneous exhibitions at St. Pete´s Museum of Fine Arts and the Orlando Museum of Art. Still, glass baubles with the Chihuly imprint — often gorgeous — come dangerously close to saturation. Just when we thought enough is enough and we wanted to yell ¨stop,¨ we viewed the Museum of Fine Arts exhibition. The glories of Chihuly glass were so beautifully mounted and lit, and intelligently installed in separate galleries where brilliant colors wouldn´t compete against each other. There was much to oooh and ahhh about: a glass boat filled with exquisite baubles, a montaged constellation of glass covering a glass ceiling, and glass flowers planted in the museum garden. And gift-shop vases to sell your soul for. Proper installation is a tribute to artist and venue collaboration (and in this case, the well-prepared Chihuly team). Given record-breaking attendance, Chihuly indicated that he´d like to do another exhibition at MFA. Indeed, one had to make reservations. Congrats to the fine museum staff.
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, 727- 896-2667.
This article appears in Sep 22-28, 2004.