Fascinated by the magic of glass
- According to Françoise, art and craft make us (more) human
- She considers glass the ultimate medium for celebrating light
- She works mainly for architectural spaces
“Glass is such a simple material, but it's difficult to work with because you need expertise," says Françoise Bolli. “Aside from its transparency, glass is above all a marvellous substance enabling a vast variety of treatments and aspects, from depth to surface.” Françoise came to glass through architecture, which she found frustrating because she could not build what she designed herself: she felt she needed to use her hands and body. “In my work, I wish to honour glass, which means not being unfaithful towards it. I try to play with it, while respecting its properties, such as its visual appearance (transparency and reflections) and its physical properties (transmitting light, colour, fragility, surface and depth).”
Interview
- Your first approach to glass was through stained glass…
- I chose stained glass because it is still very much related to space and light, and I could personally make what I designed. Then, little by little, I discovered more about what glass is, and started to experiment with other techniques.
- What fascinates you about glass?
- I am particularly curious, enthused and fascinated by the multiple possibilities that glass offers. I like playing with light, transparency, heat, technical and craft know-how, elegance, poetry and emotions.
- It sounds like you found 'your' material...
- Glass is so common, nevertheless it is the most wonderful material. The substance is just magic. It is the only matter that is forever renewable and possessing such a wide range of plasticity, making it possible to work with it in so many different ways.
- How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?
- Technology and poetry play an important role in my mind and work. I like challenging technology through a poetic angle. I am always curious to discover or develop new techniques. Tradition is tradition only when it evolves.
Françoise Bolli is a master artisan: she began her career in 1987 and she started teaching in 2010
Where
Françoise Bolli
