Max Jacquard

Glass sculptor

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Sculptural luminescence

Max specialises in glass patch-working and core casting
He uses recycled glass among other materials
His work can be seen at the V&A in London

Max Jacquard’s father was an architect and design has always been a big influence since his childhood. But after a brief encounter with furniture design, he soon realised that it was far too restrictive and too much based in creativity at the drawing board and so he discovered the freedom of working with glass and joined the Ceramics and Glass department at Buckinghamshire New University, in High Wycombe. What particularly attracted him to glass was the alchemic process of glass transformation by heat in the kiln and the possibility of exploring materials and being creative by actually making. Inspired by the natural world where he lives, in many of his pieces the moulds and textures are taken directly from natural forms and surfaces close to his studio, in the Kent countryside. His work can be seen at the V&A in London, the Shanghai Glass Museum and MAVA in Alcorcon, Madrid.

Interview

Why did you choose this craft?
To me it was fascinating and mysterious. I found I could express my personality very well through the material and I like the alchemy of it as working with cast glass is about changing one material into another material through a mould making process.
What does working with glass have that furniture design hasn't?
Working with glass in the way that I do enables me to be directly in touch with the materials. I can learn from mistakes and change things as I go along. The material guides you in how you approach a piece of work and you are drawing out the latent qualities in the material rather than imposing your will upon it.
What are the challenges of working with glass?
Every new form requires a slightly different approach, maybe I will use a new colour or a different type of glass that flows into the mould differently. Everything is connected and everything is important, from the first bit of model making to the last bit of polishing.
When did you start using recycled glass?
When I started I often used recycled materials. Melting down the crack-offs from the blowers at Dartington Crystal for one thing, recycling mould mix for another. But with the woven glass pieces I have deliberately chosen recycled bottle glass for its aesthetic quality and also because it fits the narrative that I am drawing out.

Max Jacquard is a master artisan: he began his career in 1987 and he started teaching in 1989