Running through Full Spectrum, the latest group exhibition at the Pittsburgh Glass Center, is an odd motif — bananas. Whether or not the fruit appears intentionally or not remains a mystery, but it definitely stands out, whether in the work of Caymanian-American artist Davin K. Ebanks, as a noted inspiration of Korean-born artist Eun-Ha Paek (their statement references “a banana peel on the floor”), or in the bright yellow bunch that appears as part of Nikki Lau’s ceramic Chinatown-inspired cornucopia.
But there’s more than bananas to this small but eclectically appointed show in the gallery space.
On view through May 22, Full Spectrum gathers artwork incorporating the Glass Center’s main medium, as well as wood, metal, fiber, video, and more. Curated by Corey Pemberton of Crafting the Future, April Felipe of The Color Network, and Nisha Blackwell of Knotzland, the show is described as showcasing 18 “visionary makers of color from around the country who are producing extraordinary craft objects, while illustrating the vast number of pathways to a successful and meaningful career.”
The show was also made possible by ORIGINS, an initiative launched by Bridgeway Capital’s Creative Business Accelerator to celebrate and support “Black artists, makers, designers, and craftspeople working in western Pennsylvania and beyond.”
The artists represent a wide range of racial identities and backgrounds. Five of those featured are from Pittsburgh, including Mexican-born artist Ana Armengod, whose signature painted eggs are displayed on small pedestals more suited for decorative pillar candles, and accompanied by a looped black-and-white video she recorded.
Similar to Armengod, other artists on display demonstrate the show’s loose dedication to glass and ceramics. This is apparent in a selection of vibrant green dresses by Taiwanese-American artist Hai-Wen Lin and a woodburn print by N.E. Brown, as well as in other works where glass takes a back seat to other materials.
Not to imply that glass isn’t still the star of the show, even if it only appears in subtle ways, such as in the colorful beadwork strung onto the cascading, vine-like appendages of Pittsburgh artist LaVerne Kemp’s fiber and wood wall hangings. This style repeats to some degree in “The Cool Kids” and “Stranger,” two pieces by fellow Pittsburgh artist Rell Rushin. Like Kemp’s hangings, glass beads are incorporated, wound into yarn meant to represent Black hairstyles in two acrylic paintings.
When glass does go solo, the results range from the innovative to the spectacular. Among the standouts are two contributions by Brooklyn glass blower Leo Tecosky, who combines industrial elements like metal tubing with glass arrows that twist and turn in ways that seem impossible considering their thick blockiness. Paired with a suspended arrow piece is a pink, bubbly “B” sculpture adorned with graffitti, another element that Tecosky uses in order to, according to the artist’s bio, juxtapose “the complexity of visual language with the fluidity and transparency of glass.”
Also impressive is the way artists use found objects or material. Pittsburgh artist SaraBeth Post incorporates baby blocks and other items into her work, which is defined by bright, child-like letters and shapes made from cast glass. Bre’Annah Stampley takes an inventive approach with “Fragmented Remembering,” a piece that transforms a broken lamp that once belonged to her late great-grandmother into a loving tribute that the artist describes as a “form of healing,” as it gave her something to do with her grief.
From there, visitors are treated to more traditional glass artforms, including two tall, masterfully flawless vases by Arthur Wilson and the breathtakingly delicate crystal castles of Eunsuh Choi, as well as vessels, sculptures, and other pieces.
Regardless of how the artists of Full Spectrum choose to express themselves, the influence of culture and experiences shine through. For example, Colombian-American artist Natalia Arbelaez draws from her own heritage, producing work that uses pre-Columbian styles and materials like terra-cotta as a way to reclaim traditions lost to European colonization. Even the bananas, absurd as they seem, address difficult issues or moments that define the artists (for Ebanks, they represent a status symbol in Cayman, as native grown bananas are considered “poor peoples’ food”), and add a more figurative fragility to the many breakable works on display.
Full Spectrum. Continues through May 22. Pittsburgh Glass Center. 5472 Penn Ave., Friendship. Free. pittsburghglasscenter.org
This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2022.
