The Museum of Glass (MOG) in Tacoma, Washington is the West Coast’s largest and most active museum glass studio. One of the recent MOG exhibitions was Transparency: An LGBTQ+ Glass Art Exhibition which features works by glass artists from the LGBTQ+ community. The exhibit is a celebration of identity and freedom that showcases the diverse subjects, methods, and styles of the artists. One of the complex pieces in this special exhibit was Specere Element made in 2017 by Hispanic-American artist Wes Valdez (1984- ). Blown and flameworked glass; wire; yarn; turned and dyed.
According to the artist:
“Specere consists of nine bell jars, seven of which are the colors of the rainbow (ROYGBIV) plus one black and one white. Each of the nine bell jars contains a collage of found and altered or fabricated objects.”
The artist also writes:
“Having come from rural Missouri, I’ve been beaten, harassed, and dismissed by many cruel and ignorant individuals simply for being true to myself. It’s a powerful thing to know oneself, it frightens people who question their own position in the world.”
More museum exhibit photo tours
Museum of Glass: Fluent Steps (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: The Art of Being (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: Visiting Artists (photo diary)
Museum of Glass: Gathering the Light (Art Diary)
Museum of Glass: Out of the Vault (Art Diary)
Museums 101: Representational Glass Sculpture (Photo Diary)
Museums 101: Vessel Forms from the Studio Glass Movement (Art Diary)
Museums 101: The Laguna Murano Chandelier (Art Diary)