It's all around us and we use it in a myriad of ways.
It 's functional, practical, surprisingly durable and often beautiful. But we take it for granted.
Except at the newly reopened Chrysler Museum in Norfolk, Virginia where glass is celebrated in one of the world's finest collections of glassware and glass art.
Yes, this gem of a museum boasts one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of glass anywhere, with more than 10,000 glass objects spanning 3,000 years. A collection of such magnitude and depth attracts scholars, artists, students, and general enthusiasts of glass alike.
Its most cherished collection is that of work made by Louis Comfort Tiffany, with many objects eclipsing all other examples made by the company. French glass is another major area of strength and the English cameo glass collection, while small, is stellar. The collection includes works from the pioneers of the American studio glass movement, and includes work from the most engaging artists of the 21st century.
And now, the Chrysler's $24 million renovation and expansion project means more space, better amenities and dozens of completely re-imagined galleries.
Plus, The Chrysler's Glass Studio opened in 2011, and ever since has offered daily demonstrations, visiting artists, a full range of classes, and glass art as performance art.
But here's the best news of all: The Chrysler Museum is free to everyone, every single day. That's a rarity among significant museums anywhere. And it says a lot about The Chrysler and the public-spirited community that supports this fine art museum.
We visited The Chrysler this past weekend and loved every moment of it. Our photos from the collection follow. Enjoy!
All photos copyright 29014 by Dan Cirucci.
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