Peter Ruhren
I am a glassblower, printmaker, bookbinder and forever student with a passion in learning, discussing artwork and creating.
MessageMy artwork comes as a direct result of my sudden shift in interest in art as a hobby to dedicate my future to the practice. Within my first year of this change I was working at CMOG, seeing the behind the scenes of one of the most robust glass organizations in the world. Constantly being surrounded by fine art, as well as studying and critiquing artwork in school, questions began to emerge. I began to question what was considered “fine” art, what made an art piece “belong” in a museum, and how could I find my place in a community that already felt so established? As a result, a lot of my work challenges those questions, taking my satire tone to twist contrasting narratives that allow the audience to discuss and come up with answers on their own. Being one with so many questions I never seek to be an answerer, but rather one who illuminates issues I find interesting.
To reach this result I utilize various glass-related themes and methods. These vary from challenging imagery of mastery such as reticello or goblet making to creating trickery in the form of using plastic or found glass to mimic fine skill. I also create play with recognizable symbols like the pedestal, vitrines and exhibition tags to challenge the comfortability gallery-goers have with those objects.
Recently I have found a fondness in printmaking and carpentry and have begun exploring how I can implement those into explorations in glass as well as whatever other branching paths may emerge.
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