Lisa Hartwig Ericson, Glassblower

Artistic Statement 

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I am a glassblower, designer and artist, currently completing my Master's degree in Craft at Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design. In my artistic practice, I often explore the interaction of different materials through an experimental craft-based approach. With a background in and a strong commitment to contemporary social issues, my work frequently engages with societal changes that impact human conditions. Through my artworks, I aim to foster dialogue around significant transformations while emphasizing the tactile qualities and captivating material properties of the objects I create.

 

When I was commissioned to create an artwork based on the operations of Swedish Tyre Recycling and their initative Art of Recycling, I was immediately drawn to the small steel particles left over after a tyre's various components have been separated. These tiny wires formed an intriguing mesh and delicate pattern, and I became curious about what might emerge when combined with transparent glass. As an artist and designer, it is essential for me to let the material be a co-creator in the process—not only because I enjoy being surprised but also because I believe this approach is crucial when we talk about sustainable development. We, as humans, need to fundamentally change our relationship with nature and the materials it provides, understanding that we are not the masters and creators of everything on earth. Animals, plants, and materials are co-creators of the world we live in. This applies even to so-called "non-living" matter, down to the smallest component, where an extraction can impact a larger system, including ourselves. We must engage with the materials around us in a dialogue and stay receptive to their inherent properties.

 

In creating this piece, I did not know exactly what would happen when the steel was embedded into the glass, but I discovered that the steel trapped small air bubbles within the glass, forming an even more intriguing pattern that captures the surrounding light beautifully. By placing the glass on a reflective surface, even more light is reflected into the glass, causing the tiny steel wires to shimmer. In this way, the glass helps us to see the beauty in a material that has been discarded.