Threshold | Glass sculpture

Threshold was created using glass casting and cold-working techniques to shape its angular form. The contrast between polished and sandblasted surfaces reveals intricate optical effects as light moves through the sculpture.

The creation of Threshold began with a hand-sculpted prototype made from fine art plasticine, allowing me to refine its organic contours. Once finalized, I encased the prototype in a plaster-silica mold. After the mold set, I carefully removed the original model, leaving behind a precise negative space to shape the glass.

To ensure complete transparency, I placed a calculated piece of optical glass into the mold. This method creates the crystal-clear illusion of emptiness, while in reality, the sculpture remains a completely solid form. Over ten days, the glass transformed through a carefully controlled melting and annealing process, guided by a 14-stage temperature monitoring system to ensure uniform cooling and eliminate internal stress.

After cooling, I spent several days refining the piece through cold working—grinding and polishing—to achieve its final clarity and enhance its optical illusions as light moves through the sculpture.

This artwork was created using Ohara’s eco-optical glass S-BSL7, a lead- and arsenic-free glass known for its purity and transparency. Its composition ensures a bubble-free structure, essential for achieving the illusion of depth and emptiness while maintaining a solid glass form.

From concept to completion, the creation of this glass sculpture spanned around three months.