Chihuly's Glass Baskets

I saw the Dale Chihuly exhibit at the MFA in Boston last spring.  I have always liked Chihuly's work, in my eyes he has taken great strides in showing how glass can be Art with a capital A.  Most of his glassblowing is full of color and dynamic movement, but out of all of his work I actually find his "baskets" the most inspiring.

Working and living in the Pacific Northwest, he fell in love with Pendleton trading blankets and Native American basketry (who can blame him?).  In the exhibit in Boston he actually had an entire wall full of his Pendletons, and another like the photo above, combining the glass baskets with his own basket collection.  He took inspiration from these fiber baskets to create a series in glass.  I find their organic forms mesmerizing.  Some of them seem as if they are about to collapse in on themselves.  Others seem to be sturdy, yet alarmingly translucent.  And for some he creates basket groups, or families, nestling four or more baskets in one great one.

Cadmium Yellow Basket Set, 1993

Shell Pink Basket Set, 1995

Spotted Melon Basket, 1993

 I'm still figuring out what it is that I find so alluring about these pieces.  Part of it could be my own interest in southwest and Native American cultures.  Another part could be my draw to 3-dimensional glass objects that seem to defy possibility.  Or it could be the relationship of light to these baskets.  They seem almost like translucent jellyfish.  Every time I look at them I come away with a different feeling.

 But it's always good.

For more on the baskets go here. 

For a book on Chihuly and his Pendletons and how they influence his work go here.