Luca Kohut-Görömbei

Glassblower

©Rebeka Bottka

©Luca Görömbei

©Csakvari Zsigmond

©Rebeka Bottka

Glass meets metal

Luca is both a glass artist and a goldsmith
She has a very experimental approach
She specialises in optical grinding

Luca Kohut-Görömbei started working with glassware as a small child, she says she was quite enchanted by glass at the age of 12. Because her parents saw that her intentions were serious, they made her a small workshop in the basement and allowed her to come to Budapest from the rural town where she grew up to study weekly. At MOME (Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design), in addition to the title Silicate Industrial Designer, she also obtained a design manager qualification, and then learned goldsmithing. She prides herself on cultivating both professions at a high level so she can make her own jewellery. She is constantly experimenting in the fields of glass grinding, melting glass in electric kilns, glassblowing in hot furnaces, cold glasswork, laminated and layered glass. Her favourite moment is when she takes a piece of glass in her hands, which then turns into an object in them. She opened her own workshop in 2008 and launched her brand called Üvegház (Glasshouse) in 2013.

Interview

©Kohutbalazs

©Luca Görömbei

How do tradition and innovation combine in your work?: I try to keep traditional glass processing technologies alive, but I work with modern machines and materials. For example, I ordered a custom diamond machine that is as fast (literally) as a car and significantly shortens grinding times. Or I use a melted form of material that I usually call ‘space dust’ because, unlike old gypsum, it burns at 880 degrees for hours without cracking.
Where do you get your inspiration from?: Primarily from nature, from walking in the woods, but I actually get most of my inspiration directly from the material itself. Often, I don’t go through a traditional design routine, but cling to an accident born out of an experiment. Glass is a rather whimsical, self-contained substance. It always holds surprises, unexpected situations.
Do you think the field you work in is in danger?: There are only a very few specialists in Hungary. I am a member of the Hungarian Glass Art Society, they do a lot for the profession: they organise workshops and exhibitions abroad. I also think it’s important to introduce the little ones to this art so they can embark on a specialised training.
What are you the most proud of?: I think I am one of a very few glass designers who are also goldsmiths – this gives me a huge freedom in my work and allows me not to compromise. But I am also proud of my complex artworks, the execution of which I have to use all my knowledge: for example, I designed an art installation recently where one degree at a time could make a huge difference during melting.

Luca Kohut-Görömbei is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2008