Tampere, Pirkanmaa Oct 19, 2024 (Issuewire.com) - Dylan Katz’s exhibition 61.5°N, presented in Venice on the occasion of The Venice Glass Week 2024, is more than just a showcase of glass sculptures. It’s an artistic journey that delicately balances nature and humanity, using glass as a medium to explore the beauty and fragility of the natural world. Inspired by the icy landscapes of Finland, Katz reimagines climate change not as a violent clash between man and nature, but as a love story—one that calls for balance, respect, and the preservation of Earth’s beauty.
Katz’s glass sculptures have earned him the prestigious Special Jury Award at the 2024 Fondazione Venezia Prize during Venice Glass Week. This award honors not only his artistic innovation but also his deep commitment to environmental awareness—a central theme in Katz's work. His pieces are the result of years of study, drawing inspiration from the temporary yet awe-inspiring ice formations found in Finland’s lakes. The artist has mastered the complex language of glass, utilizing color, form, texture, and optics to create works that evoke the very essence of nature.
At the heart of 61.5°N are two main series: Uncanny Ice and Northern Windows. Uncanny Ice, Katz’s iconic collection, returns to Venice for the third time, while Northern Windows was specially created for this exhibition. Both series highlight the contrast between ice—fleeting and fragile—and glass, a material born from fire that has the potential to last forever. This tension between permanence and impermanence is a key theme in Katz’s work, offering a poetic meditation on the transient nature of life and the enduring impact of human activity on the environment.
Katz describes his work as a "love letter written in glass" to Mother Earth, inviting viewers to reconnect with nature through his dreamlike creations. The exhibition, curated by Costanza Longanesi Cattani, is a sensory journey that speaks to the viewer's gentler side, urging us to honor and protect the natural world. Complementing the glass sculptures are a series of photographs documenting Katz’s work with natural ice formations in Finland, as well as a short film by Elias Markkula, with sound by Veli-Matti “Vellu” Rintala, which delves deeper into the artist’s creative process and environmental message.
Founded in 2016, Katz Studio is an independent glassblowing atelier run by Dylan and his wife, Greta Katz. Their works have been exhibited in renowned art and design fairs across Europe, including the 2022 Homo Faber Doppia Firma exhibition in Milan and the Glass Art Society conference in Tacoma, Washington. Katz’s Uncanny Ice series, a continuous evolution of his work, was showcased at The Venice Glass Week HUB in Palazzo Loredan, the Biot International Glass Festival in 2024, and at numerous other international exhibitions.
Through 61.5°N, Katz’s message is clear: this is not a call to arms against climate change, but rather a gentle reminder of why we still care about our planet. His art serves as both a reflection and a promise—an invitation to restore balance and preserve the delicate beauty of nature before it’s too late.
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