GLASSAC14 - Glass Science in Art and Conservation

Date: 6 February 2014

University of Durham - 10th to 12th September; City of York - Saturday 13th September. The glass community world wide embraces many diverse strands of glass expertise.

This conference in September 2014 is designed to weave together those diverse strands to create a web of knowledge and experience which transcends barriers and divisions.

We are so different. Scientists and Art Historians, creative Artists and inspired Designers, Archaeologists and gritty Industrialists, Engineers and Conservators of historic glass artefacts - the list is seemingly endless. But we are united by our obsessive fascination with glass.

Sadly our community is blighted by the legendary Curse of Babel. Each strand of glass expertise develops its own jargon, method of speaking, circle of knowledge. Unconsciously we form inward-facing groups. It’s hard to cross over these artificial barriers and share our enthusiasms and perplexities with colleagues from other strands. All too often, we don’t understand one another. Our creativity and our achievements are thereby diminished.

This conference, like previous conferences in the GLASSAC series, is dedicated to breaking down barriers, building bridges, and allowing us to share our glassy passions with experts from other strands. For once, let’s meet one another in mutual respect and talk to one another in plain language, so that together we may learn.

So the scope of GLASSAC14 embraces all strands of glass knowledge, celebrating those occasions when one area of glass expertise has collaborated with and been of help to another different area. And we invite Authors to contribute papers, posters and exhibitions from the growing points of their particular strand of glass passion. Don’t wait for your endeavours to become stale and old - bring work-in-progress as well as finished achievements, experiences which raise questions as well as those which provide answers.

The programme will usually give each paper or presentation a 40 minute time slot, to allow within each a period of at least 10 minutes for active discussion and debate. Each paper can be a catalyst, fomenting creative engagement across the diversity of glass interest. The organisers fervently hope that out of this will come a cascade of new thinking and creative new friendships.

Join us next September and help make 2014 the year that brings glass to life!

GLASSAC14 Organising Committee:

Bill Brookes

Ruth Cooke

David Martlew

Antonio Pires de Matos

John Parker

Roger Penlington

Adrian Wright

Christine Brown

GLASSAC14 International Advisory Board:

Sarah Brown

Justine Bayley

Márcia Vilarigues

Sonia Murcia Mascaros

Sabrina Rota

Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk

Calling authors, creators and presenters:

Your papers, exhibits and posters would be welcome to inform our understanding of, appreciation of and care for contemporary and historic glass artefacts. This includes the methods of manufacture used and the social contexts in which glass has been valued and used. The scope includes:

 Aesthetics of contemporary glass

 Bronze Age glass and glassmaking

 Hellenistic, Roman and Islamic glass

 Creativity in glass design - then and now

 Medieval stained glass window

 Glass in the 18th and 19th century

 Problems facing current studio glassmaking

 Venetian glass and Façon-de-Venise glass

 Dating and provenance of glass

 Art History and Iconography of architectural glass

 Archaeometry of glass

 Mould-blown glass

 Social impact of glass - the people dimension

 Restoration and conservation of glass

 Glass technology production

 Raising public awareness of glass, ancient and modern

 Glass decoration and enamel

 Raw materials

 Glass corrosion and weathering

 Making glass live in the minds of today’s people