Renata Jakowleff
GLASS DESIGNER
In working with glass, I feel the biggest challenge is the liquidity of the hot glass.
As glass cools down, its plasticity is irreversibly consigned to history. The kinetic properties of the liquid phase disappear and, often, only someone familiar with the glass-making process would be able to infer the previous lively motion from the shape or structure of the set glass objects.
In my work, this interpretation process puzzles me. I try to recognise and understand the logic of the behaviour of the glass, and to work with it, respecting its intrinsic nature. I try to find ways of awakening the cold glass out of its static state, and of communicating to the viewer at least some of the experience of the liquidity of the glass, of what it is like to work with the molten material.
My approach comes close to being a science. My pieces could simply be explained as documenting the behaviour of hot glass. They contain no personal expression or fictional content. They simply answer the question: How does glass react when subjected to certain forces in certain conditions?
I am not saying that these works have no meaning. Sensing the logic of glass in motion is like momentarily sensing the long-term dynamics of nature. Experiencing the ‘regularity of behaviour’ of glass in the shaping process during its various stages of viscosity gives us an emotional understanding of the continuum linking the diverse structures of nature. The inner calm that emerges from this understanding is something that I seek to convey to the viewer.
In the studio, working with molten glass is a very physical task, something kinaesthetic, sensory and whole. The strong "will" to act displayed by glass, and its ability to surprise with its diversity of forms and structures, make it seem almost like an intelligent, emotional substance. It is hard to believe that this manifoldness is an outcome of cold, physical laws. In practice, sculpting glass is quite a sensual process, and I actually tend to think of hot glass as a partner whose reactions I look for and to which I react in turn.
My ideas evolve through thinking about how hot glass behaves. I try to imagine how glass would react in a given situation, to put myself in its place, or to imagine how a situation should be altered so as to get the glass to behave in a different manner. Obviously, trying these situations out in practice can become quite an obsession, and what I most enjoy is creating a variety of mould structures and testing them out in the studio.
Besides blowing, casting or, for example, lampworking techniques, I constantly seek out new ways of creating channels for the molten glass to flow along, of stretching, pulling or moving it, as dictated by the laws of physics, while avoiding forcing it in any one direction.
Even though I get my inspiration from the hotwork, cold working is also an essential part of my approach. In the testing phase, I spend a lot of time sawing the hot worked pieces in different shapes so as to get to the root of each motif. Frequently, it is only the cold working process that can provide a complete understanding of the past behaviour of the glass and a better comprehension of the nature of hot glass.
The actual works are individual sculptures and installations. In some of them I have combined glass with motion pictures – animation loops created to reveal the behaviour of the glass when it is hot.
These works are absolutely abstract in form, and my interest lies in working with them as a free art. Nevertheless, just occasionally, when the ideas and technical solutions that I learn from playing with glass give cause for it, I might use them to create tableware or other decorative objects.
WORKS
Competitions
2014
European Glass Experience
2006
Glass sellers prize, shortlisted, London, England
Coburger glaspreis, contemporary european glass competition, Germany
2004
Carlo Moretti ltd, in cooperation with elle Decor Magazine, Venice
2003
Marimekko, Framework of young life / shortlisted finalist
2002
Finnish tourist board, business to business design competition
2000
International glass art competition, Kanazawa, Japan
Studies and assigments / design comissions
2013
Lecturer in glass, Aalto University
2010
2 Or + by Yat
2009
Oy iittala ab, Artist of the year /Gaia ry
2005
Ma in glass, University of art and design, Department of design
2003
School of glass and ceramics, Bornholm, Denmark
The craft museum of finland, Exhibition coordinator
2001
Ba in ceramics and glass, University of art and design, Department of ceramics and glass, Lombik Flamework Ltd Budapest, Hungary, assistant
2000
Marja Myllymäki ceramic studio, assistant
1998
University of Helsinki, Art Studio
1995
University of Helsinki, Department of Geography
Selected publicity in english
2008
Sofa expo, Catalogue
2006
50 Distinguished contemporary artists in glass, Il publishers ltd, London, Coburger Glaspreis, competition catalogue, Coburg, Germany
2005
Arttu magazine, personal review, nro 2/2005
Finnish Glass V, exhibition catalogue
2002
New european ways of life, exhibition catalogues, Korea and France
2001
International glass art, competition catalogue, Japan
Pure Finland, “Food, Style and Odd Stories from the Top of the World”, Tammi, Helsinki
Collections
Finnish state
The Finnish Glass Museum
Private collections
CURRICULUM VITAE
Renata Jakowleff
born 1974, Budapest
married, three children
Laitatuulenkaari 6
00850 Helsinki
Finland
Glass Studio of Hytti association
Bastioni Hyve
Suomenlinna b 48
00190 Helsinki
renatajakowleff@gmail.com
www.renatajakowleff.com
Selected solo exhibitions
Coming up 2015
Gallery Johan S Helsinki
2014
Gallery O, Helsinki
2011
Täky gallery, Lappeenranta
2010
Finnish glass museum, Riihimäki
2008
Arabesque, Fesign Forum Finland
Candy, Budapest
2006
Satama Art Space, Satama Interactive
Art goes kapakka, restaurant Motti, Helsinki
2005
Frozen Movement, Gallery Laterna Magica, Helsinki
2000
Babu, Gallery Esplanad, Helsinki
Selected group exhibitions
Coming up 2015
Ege Glass Exhibition, Venice
Finnish Glass Museum, Riihimäki
2014
International Glass Biennale Shanghai
Gumbostrand konst och form Söderkulla
Lokal, Helsinki
Ege glass exhibition, Riihimäki
Ornamo sales, Helsinki
2013
Pyhäniemi manor, Hollola
Elements, Lokal, Helsinki
Ornamo sales, Cable Factory Helsinki
2012
Himmeli satellite event, Suntory Museum, Midtown, Tokio
Spirit of Material, 798 art destrict, Peking
Shop in shop, Design Forum Finland
2011
Glass 2011, Gjovik art festival
2010
Hirameki design, Living Design Center Ozone, Tokio
Kirameki and illums, Satellite Exhibitions in Tokio
Straightforward, Design week, New York
Petit o, Gallery Norsu, Helsinki
Ornamo sales, Cabel Factory, Helsinki
Finnish glass VI, Finnish Glass Museum, Riihimäki
Take away, gallery Johan S, Helsinki
Finnish design and art glass Verkaranta, Tampere
2009
Ornamo sales, Cabel Factory, Helsinki
Led by form, Fiskars summer exhibition
Signal, Flow gallery, London
2008
Design migration, Design Forum Finland
Art Fair 2008, Helsinki
2007
Gallery Norsu, Sofa Expo, Chicago
Ornamo sales, Cabel Factory, Helsinki
Pictures of Island, Stoa Gallery,Helsinki
2006
Coburger Preis, Contemporary European Glass Competition, Coburg, germany
2005
Master of Arts, Lume Center, Helsinki
Forces, Fiskars
Finnish Glass V, Finnish Glass Museum, Riihimäki
2004
Young Forum, Design Forum Helsinki
2003
Nordic Design, Malmö, Sweden
Finnish Ceramics, Designmuseum, Helsinki
Glass beads, the Craft Museum of Finland, Jyväskylä
2002
Europ. Ways of Life, Design Center, Seul / Carousel de Louvre, paris
Scandinav. Design, Gallery temp, Bergen
2001
Departures, Skanno Helsinki / Vessel Gallery, London
Garden, Designmuseum, Helsinki
Mycelium, Botanical Garden, Helsinki
Floating, Hungarian Hultural Center, Helsinki
2000
Glass seminar, Media Center Lume, Helsinki
Grants
2015
Arts promotion center finland, 1/2 year artist grant
2014
Arts promotion center finland, 1 year artist grant
2013
Finnish art council
Finnish art council
2012
Finnish cultural foundation
2011
Finnish cultural foundation
Finnish art council
2010
Maja-oja found
Alfred kordelin found
Finnish art council
2009
Finnish art council
Finnish cultural foundation
Arts council of uusimaa
2008
Finnish art council
2007
Oskar ölunds foundation
2006
Helsinki city
2005
Finnish art council
Finnish cultural foundation
Arts council of uusimaa
2004
Finnish art council
Uiah
2003
Uiah / erasmus
Glass art society, becky winship flameworking scholarship found, usa
2002
Uiah / davinci
