Anna Mlasowsky selected for Corning Museum of Glass Specialty residency program

The Corning Museum of Glass and Corning Incorporated have announced that artist Anna Mlasowsky has been selected as the second of two Specialty Glass Artists-in-Residence for 2016.

Anna Mlasowsky selected for Corning Museum of Glass Specialty residency program

Anna’s approach to glass exploration combines an interest in culture and science, making her an ideal candidate for this residency.

The Specialty Glass Residency is a joint program of The Corning Museum of Glass and Corning Incorporated that supports artists in exploring the use of specialty glass materials to inform their body of work. Mlasowsky is the fourth specialty glass resident following metal sculptor, Albert Paley from 2014-2015, and glass artists, Tom Patti in 2015, and Toots Zynsky earlier this year. Mlasowsky’s residency will begin in late June and continue through the end of the year.

Mlasowsky focuses her curiosity on studying the traditions and habits of glassmaking. “The way we evaluate a material and use its properties is defined by preconceived opinions and boundaries set by traditions,” said Mlasowsky. Her work seeks to challenge preformed behaviors and “raise questions about reality and projection.”

“I am not concerned with craft and technique, I don't judge things by how they are made, but how they make use of material,” she continued. “An essential part in my artistic effort is to be suggestive without being determined. I am interested in how I relate to things, and how they relate to me.”?Mlasowsky often employs uncommonly used techniques, such as introducing stress into glass, straining and breaking it, and exploring technical errors. This approach has resulted in diverse projects that encompass craft traditions, performance, video, and 3D digital fabrication techniques.

“The Corning Museum of Glass works hard to partner with artists, designers, and scientists—serving as a laboratory and acting as a catalyst for creativity—to further the understanding and application of glass,” said Karol Wight, president and executive director of The Corning Museum of Glass. “Anna’s approach to the material of glass is one of exploration, not outcome. She is more focused on how the material is used rather than the craft and technique behind a particular piece. It will be exciting to watch her discover new intersections between science and glass during her time in Corning.”

“Corning is dedicated to innovation and experimentation with glass, and we have a long history of collaborating with artists,” said Dr. David Morse, executive vice president and chief technology officer, Corning Incorporated. “Anna’s work is based in experimentation. She pushes boundaries, and demands non-traditional results from the glass. This type of approach is exciting, and exactly what the Specialty Glass Residency is all about. It is science informing art, and art informing science—all made possible with Corning glass.”

Mlasowsky holds a B.A. in glass from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts in Denmark. She received the Kaleidos award in 2010 and was nominated for the European Advancement Award for Young Glass Artists and the Stanislav Libensky Award in 2011. In 2012, she received an Emerging Artist Lecture Award from the Glass Art Society. She has furthered her work in glass through residencies—one of which was at The Corning Museum of Glass in 2013—and exhibitions. She graduated with a master’s degree in sculpture from the University of Washington in May 2016.

Mlasowsky says she has many possible projects in mind for her Specialty Glass Residency, but is excited to be able to observe, and see what springs from that.

“I feel like I have been given the secret key to this special place,” she said. “I don't know what I will discover and it is hard to say what will happen and what direction I will take, but I think what is most important for me is not to have a plan and not to expect any specific outcome. That is the most valuable time for me: When I don't need to perform but just experiment.”