Maria Bang Espersen

Glass sculptor

©Kristof Vrancken

©MBE

©Kristof Vrancken

©Niels Ole Frandsen

Capturing the elasticity of glass

Maria has her unique methods of glass working
Her creation process celebrates immediacy
She creates delicate art objects

Maria Bang Espersen enjoys following untraditional creative processes using unconventional tools. She developed her own method of blowing hot glass by using compressed air instead of her own breath. The process can continue until explosion and glass shells convert into fine threads. Her objects made from melted glass, stretched and folded, appear soft and light with candy-like mother-of-pearl surfaces. Using simply kevlar gloves, she is able to shape the glass by hand in the last seconds of its fluidity, forever capturing the intangible softness of heat. These abstract sculptures mesmerise with the immediacy of their production process.

Where

Interview

©Dorte Krogh

©MBE

What does creativity mean for you?: Creativity has always been part of my life, even before I started to make art. Creativity means to question your surroundings, consider new options and to experiment. Failure is an important aspect because it holds so much potential to learn. Creativity is to never stand still.
Why do you work exclusively with molten glass?: Molten hot glass almost holds magical qualities. It moves in ways other materials don't and to control it you need years of practice. The material continues to challenge me as a craftswoman and during our encounters, it keeps on revealing new sides to itself.
What did you gain from your internships?: Internships are wonderful ways to learn about new perspectives and approaches to your medium. You learn through communicating with others equally dedicated to glass. The hands-on experiences broaden your understanding of your own art practice.
What is the story of your series The Air Within?: Hung tightly against the wall The Air Within seems to have been made in a malleable material, appearing still soft and smudged onto the wall. The title refers to the fact that air is trapped in between each string and it is what causes the glass to appear opaque, despite being made from transparent glass.

Maria Bang Espersen is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2012