Bowl #B486

Sonja Blomdahl, Bowl #B486, 1986, glass, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Marjorie and Jack Rachlin, 2003.51

Luce Center Label

Bowl #B486 exemplifies Sonja Blomdahl’s mastery of incalmo, an ancient Venetian glass-blowing technique. Also known as “the double-bubble,” incalmo is a complex method that demands great precision: it joins together glass bubbles with the same opening diameter while they are still white-hot. This high temperature enables Blomdahl to create bowls that have two distinct color fields, which are layered top to bottom as well as inside and out, drawing the viewer’s attention to the shape and color of the vessel.

Luce Object Quote

“As an artist my focus has been with the vessel. . . . Color is often the ‘joy’ in making a piece. I want the colors to glow and react with each other. The clear band between the colors acts as an optic lens. It moves the color around and allows you to see into the piece.” Artist’s statement

Title

Bowl #B486

Artist

Sonja Blomdahl

Date

1986

Location

Dimensions