1905 Building

This traveling exhibition was organized by the Seattle Art Museum and showcased three decades of work by America's foremost glass artist, Dale Chihuly. The exhibition presented 12 luminous installations designed specifically for the interior architecture of the Albright-Knox.

Dale Chihuly: Installations 1964–1997 turned the museum’s space into a theatrical experience as the viewer was led from one installation to the next. Works from eight of Chihuly’s series including the exquisitely delicate Seaforms and his mysterious, celestial orbs, the Niijima Floats were on view. In addition, a work from his recent and experimental series, the Chandeliers, considered his strongest sculptural statement to date, embellished the exhibition entrance.

Although traditionally glasswork has been conceived by a designer and then fabricated by a master craftsman, the studio glass movement changed that by allowing artists to work directly with the material. Chihuly works with a team of highly skilled glass blowers, but no longer blows glass himself. He has found that he actually has more control of the result when he is not involved as the gaffer or master of the team.

Accompanying the exhibition was a 72-page, full color catalogue, published by the Seattle Art Museum, with an essay written by Patterson Sims.

The exhibition Dale Chihuly: Installations 1964–1997 opened with "Glorious Glass Gala" on October 17. The festive, black-tie event, attended by the artist Dale Chihuly, was organized by the Members' Council and Junior Group and was sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Western New York and the Honorable and Mrs. Peggy T. Elfvin. This fundraising event proved to be a great success, with a sell-out attendance.

This exhibition was organized by the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in cooperation with the Seattle Art Museum.