Natural glass, created in the aftermath of a volcanic eruption or lightning strike, has been around since the dawn of time. The earliest evidence of glassblowing, or man-made glasswork, however, was found in Mesopotamia with sample fragments dating back as early as 1500 B.C. In the last century, glassblowing as an artistic practice has developed into a boundless and extraordinary visual medium. In their new documentary, In The Present, Chuck Fry and Grassroots Media follow the innovative work of renowned glassblower and artist Kiva Ford. The short film follows Ford as he commutes back and forth between the University of Notre Dame and his own private studio in South Bend, Indiana. The young craftsman works on both useable glassworks for the University’s scientific community as well as his own brand of decorative art pieces that he sells on his website. Ford’s sculptures blend the utilitarian aesthetic of scientific glass objects with creative forms of sculpture and design. He creates pendants, and miniature trophies that he then encapsulates inside glass orbs, giving his final products that impossible ‘ship in a bottle’ illusion.
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The urban glassware engineer says this about his craft: “The thing that attracts me to glass the most is how it forces you to be in the present. glass is a really demanding, unforgiving, and kinda dangerous process… It forces you into the present. It's like a meditation, almost.”Watch the short film and check out more images of his work, below:
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