Complementary Contrasts: The Glass and Steel Sculptures of Albert
Paley highlights the significance of glass in the work of the
celebrated sculptor Albert Paley. Though best known for his large-scale
metal sculptures, Paley has incorporated glass in many works for over a
decade.
After beginning his career as a jewelry maker, Paley soon transitioned
to furniture and freestanding sculpture. In the 1970s, Paley delved into
large, site-specific works that blurred the line between sculpture and
architecture. Despite disparity in size, Paley's collective artworks
display a synergy of forms and philosophy, favoring natural curves and
lines that defy their rigid materials.
In 1999 Paley was invited to Pilchuck Glass School to collaborate with
artist Dante Marioni. His experience utilizing fire to manipulate metal
translated naturally into his glass design and allowed him to embrace
the new material with ease. Since this initial introduction, Paley has
collaborated with a number of glass artists and created over a hundred
sculptures incorporating glass.
The first book to focus on Paley's glass and steel sculpture,
Complementary Contrasts includes approximately forty new sculptures
created at the Museum of Glass in collaboration with Seattle-based glass
sculptor Martin Blank. These sculptures will be supported by earlier
works from Paley's personal collection. Thirty works on paper that
illuminate Paley's process of incorporating glass in his sculpture are
also illustrated. Collectively, the objects in this publication
demonstrate a culmination of Paley's talents as a sculptor.
