The process of inflating float glass is not a widely practiced one. One of the artists that i have been investigating, Matthew Szosz, has an experimental practice that involves the inflation of float glass into non-functional objects.
Szosz has combined the process of glass fusing and glass blowing, fusing together 'envelopes' of float glass and using compressed air to inflate the inside into his signature pillow forms. therefore his process involves both the kiln and the hot shop.
The first step is to compose the object that will be fused. This is done by layering the sheets of hard float glass with fibre paper. Leaving in contact only the areas he wishes to fuse, around the edge of the piece and on the inside corners so that the form is air-tight once fused. In this arrangement he also adds a metal hook and tube that is fused into the edge of the envelope, which is what he picks it up out of the kiln with. This metal is fused into the glass and therefore stays on the piece once it is annealed.
The piece is then taken up to about 1575 F (approx 875.2C). This fuses the edges and makes the piece air-tight. At this temperature the float glass is also soft enough to be blown.
When the edges are properly sealed he uses a metal hook or the fiber paper to pick it up form the kiln and uses compressed air to inflate it into it's 3D form. For this process he uses a nossle for the compressed air to ensure that the air is coming out at a controlled pace. This helps to inflate all the walls of the piece evenly, but also reduces the chances of the air putting too much pressure on the glass and it blowing out or shattering. Once inflated the pieces are then cooled to room temperature in the annealer.
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| Just taken out of the kiln. Not only does the the thick white fiber paper allow the piece to be able to be safely removed from the kiln, but it also insulated the glass, keeping it hot for longer. |
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| Adding compressed air to the piece. |
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| Inflating the piece. |
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| Once the glass has been inflated to the desired shape and size, the air pressure inside the piece need to be maintained until the glass is cool enough that it will not slump while annealing (around 500C). At this point it is put away and gradually cooled to room temperature. |
His work is about material exploration, investigation and experimentation. A continual process of trial and error.
"I spend most of my time working with and managing failure, but failure is a great teacher.."
Matt Szosz. 3
One of the biggest problems with working with the fusing and kiln forming of Float glass is the issue of devitrification. This occurs during the firing process of fused glass whereby the surface of the material develops a whitish scum, crazing or wrinkles instead of a smooth glossy shine. While this condition is generally undesired in glass art, Szosz has made it possible to incorporate the devitrification as an artistic technique.
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| Devitrified glass. |
Although I do throughly enjoy Matthew Szosz work the thing that I am interested in most is the experimental nature of his practice. And through this experimentation and investigation the way that he has taken the material of float glass outside of its ordinary field of use. Changing the nature of the material from something that is seen as being very rigid and sturdy, when used in furniture and in architecture, to a material that is very organic and fragile. Such an innovative process should be looked at by all artists, if for nothing else than to encourage them to explore the very limits of their chosen material
3. Matthew Szosz, comment on "3 Questions for...Matt Szosz,'' The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet, posted October 22, 2006, http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2010/10/22/3-questions-for-matt-szosz/ (accessed October 22, 2006).
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