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Wolfe Gallery shines light on local glass artist

A show by glass artist Chuchen Song begins the 2022-2023 season at The Wolfe Gallery on the campus of Maumee Valley Country Day School.
A show by glass artist Chuchen Song begins the 2022-2023 season at The Wolfe Gallery on the campus of Maumee Valley Country Day School.

The show opens Monday, Aug. 22, and runs through Oct. 7. The gallery is open during school hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; guests need to enter through Door 1 and receive a visitor’s badge. The opening reception is Aug. 26 from 5:30-7 p.m.

Ms. Song is a glass enameling artist who uses an ancient glass enameling technique called “grisaille” to paint on glass. Her current body of work involves a series of enameled and kiln-formed glass that contain symbolic imageries to discuss how contemporary Chinese women deal with traditional Chinese social order.

“My current series of work examines the relationship between individuals and the outside world from the unique perspective of the Chinese women's cultural experiences,” said Ms. Song, who recently moved to the area and works at The Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion.
 
“Her work is technically and conceptually amazing,” said Kristin Kowalski, a Middle and Upper School art instructor at MV who also curated the show. It’s the first show in the past decade featuring an artist who works on glass. Her work also was chosen to coincide with the United Nation’s designation of 2022 as the “International Year of Glass,” a celebration being honored locally because of the region’s rich history in glass and manufacturing.
 
Ms. Song received her M.F.A. from the glass program of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale in 2021, and her B.F.A. in design from the China Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing in 2017.

Artist Statement by Ms. Song:

My current series of work involves series of enameled kiln formed glass in order to talk about the perspective of contemporary women and bringing more people's attention to women's issues. It examines the relationship between individuals and the outside world from the unique perspective of the Chinese women's cultural experiences.

In the narrative of my work, I utilize symbolic imagery to discuss how contemporary Chinese women deal with traditional Chinese social order from the perspective of the female gaze. Traditional Chinese culture often uses symbolic images to suggest human status through natural plants and animals. In my work, symbolic patterns are used to talk about the experience of contemporary Chinese women in this cultural background.

I am drawn to the transparent and subtle qualities of glass. In people's life, glass often serves as a medium connecting the internal and external environment, so that people living in the interior can visually feel the natural changes of light and shadow outside. The age-old tradition of painting on glass allows the light to take part in illuminating the enamel which creates a comforting effect, allowing the viewer of my work to reflect inward in regards to my enameled imagery.

This method of storytelling allows the viewer to contemplate the societal norms and find ways to reconcile with society to minimize the overwhelming struggle between the internal darkness of the viewer and the external society, which often causes individual problems. While many women experience societal hardships, we all have the ability to heal from these situations.
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