Interface 11

In recent decades, several Japanese glass artists have attracted international attention. Sato Shizue (b. 1983) is an up-and-coming young artist who creates unique glass sculptures using a technique she developed and perfected. The artist first puts glass paste (glass powder mixed with glue and water) into a pastry bag and by squeezing it draws lines in a mesh pattern. The mesh pattern is then fired to make it solid. In a second firing, she puts the glass mesh sheet into a mold made of fire-proof material and makes it sag using heat and gravity. During this process, she opens the kiln and puts a lump of glass onto the center of the glass mesh sheet to make it sink to the bottom of the mold. Finally, the glass sculpture is removed from the mold and finished by removing the fringes. Sato used green pigment to create an even more powerful visual effect. The result looks like a fishing net sinking in water, pulled down by a stone. The net structure has holes and tears intended to suggest extensive use. This torn net pattern sometimes appears as a decorative motif on Edo-period ceramics. Its three-dimensional realization in glass is a new expression. The artistic practices of blowing, polishing, casting, and cutting glass are all standard techniques. Sato wanted to devise a new method to achieve her sculptural forms. As with an actual net, the glass mesh represents a transparent, permeable medium while its sagging form imparts a vivid sense of motion.