Tittot glass manufacturer is part of the ‘The Harder They Fall’ exhibition currently on show at Moss Gallery in New York.
The work shown is created using the ‘Lost Wax Casting’ technique, a process last favored by artists in France during the Art Nouveau period; the highly artesian work requires approximately 50 intricate and interconnected steps. This art form was revived by Mr. Heinrich Wang, the Creative Director of Tittot, Taiwan, in 1987.
A design is first drawn on paper, and then sculpted in clay. From this clay ‘prototype’, a negative silicone mould is cast, which is used to create a positive model in wax. The wax piece is removed from the mould and all seams and imperfections are carefully removed. Then a plaster mould is cast around the wax, and this mould – still with the wax inside – is placed in a steam room to allow the wax to slowly melt and exit the mould through a small gate cast into the plaster mould.
After that, glass ’stones’ of various colors are selected by the artist and placed inside the negative plaster mould that previously contained the wax model. The plaster moulds with solid glass are then fired in a kiln; the glass slowly melts, mixing colors and filling the plaster mould. After firing, the plaster mould is carefully removed and the glass is polished.
Produced in a limited edition; each piece is numbered and dated and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
