Dale Chihuly’s special relation with Israel continues with a double event this year. After having brought his sets to the opera representation of Bluebird’s Castle at the Tel Aviv Opera he opened across the street at the Litvak Gallery a personal exhibition which will certainly remain in the memory of many people who have and will visit it (it is open until 30.4.2011). His previous exhibition was of course the one which celebrated the millennium and the 3000 years of history of Jerusalem at the Tower of David and which was visited by one million people, maybe the most popular art exhibition having ever taken place in Israel.
Kaleidoscope Persian Window
The visitor of the how is first welcome by a work on the external window where the light and the landscape of Tel Aviv behind the window plays its own role.
Lapis and Gold Tiered Chandelier
The Chandeliers are a class of classical objects in glass manufacturing that was taken by Chihuly at a new dimension. His chandelier in the principal entry room reflects in the black marble where a number of objects from another world have been created and planted by the artist.
Copper Birch Reeds
The outdoor terrace was close because of the rainy day. I could take pictures of the reeds blowing up as flames from the pedestal …
Lapis Icicle Tower
… and then I photographed from the distance of the icicle tower which blends strangely with the vegetation and the urban landscape around.
Seaform
Another series that draws the attention of the Seaforms series. It is inspired by marine life, but then what we deal with is an imaginary ocean with its forms of life drawn by the mind of the artist.
Garnet Persian Set
The dark room in the Litvak Gallery allows for the special exhibits to build on their special, sometimes interior light. here we have a Persian Set composed of three structures of a strange beauty.
Ikebana
The Ikebana series is inspired by the Japanese art of floral arrangements. Again with Chihuly it goes through the processing of the artists’ mind and inspiration blending his feelings and recreating the structure with new meanings of his own.
Tiger Marlins
The Tiger Marlins group seems to spring and dance in elegance in their niche – it is one of the several objects built specially by Chihuly and adapted for the space of this gallery.
Ruby Red Icicle Tower and Chandelier
We are back t the art of towers and chandeliers in the last room of the exhibition ….
Macchia Forest
… and we end with a forst built all from the imagination of an artist who creates his own world of forms and beauty.
I was very impressed by the Kaleidoscope Persian Window, as well by the Lapis and Gold Tiered Chandelier. From this it ssems that the artist’s strength is in big objects that should ornate buildings, outside space. Objects for interiors loke flowers, vases, sea life are too complicated and “cold”. But all in all it is a very special and enjoyable exhibition
To some extent I agree, Erica. The most complex composition of objects by Chihuly that I have seen was in the lobby of the Belagio hotel in Las Vegas, where Chihuly received the commission of decorating the main reception space of the hotel. I did like however also some of his smaller objects – for example the Ikebanas and these inspired by life forms from the deep seas.