Long held customs

Artists Spike Deane, Peter Nilsson and Luna Ryan reveal
their fascination for storytelling in contemporary studio glass.
Their passion for old and new materials and techniques are used
as a vehicle to explore different aspects of storytelling from the
imagined to the modern-day. Together they demonstrate the
strength of narrative based art practice today.
Stories are important forms of communication and have inspired the
work of artists for centuries. Long held customs examines how artists
have devised new ways of working to update the age-old quest to
tell a story. This rich, interweaving of stories portrays concepts such
as language, meaning and nonsense; scale and perspective; and
perception and reality. It begins with pieces that explore traditional
folklore, continuing with an often cheeky reminder of the joy that
a story can bring and ending within a twist on traditional stories,
retold and renewed within a contemporary context.
With all stories, it is the reader or viewer who activates the tale with
his or her reading. Long held customs presents an opportunity for
the viewer to develop their own stories and interpretations.
Studio glass has a long and proud tradition of glass fabricating
techniques. This exhibition pays homage to the sharing, developing
and adaptation of traditional glass making methods which have
been passed down from generation to generation. Cut crystal,
lost wax casting and engraving are an important element of these
artist’s practices. Mastering these highly specialised techniques is a
labour of love and dedication.
Deane, Nilsson and Ryan’s stories do not end when the author
writes the last word. These stories bring objects to life and stimulate
curiosity. They remind us that storytelling should always be a
collective process.
2 | LONG HELD CUSTOMS | 21 MARCH TO 12 MAY, 2019