The Chrysler Museum of Art Presents Playful yet Perceptive Glass Artworks

NORFOLK, Va (Dec. 17, 2019) – The Chrysler Museum of Art will focus on figurative work by a prolific glass artist in Dan Dailey: Character Sketch. On view Feb. 21–May 31, 2020, the Chrysler-curated exhibition will feature 33 artworks and span the artist’s 40-year career. A catalog written by Carolyn Swan Needell, Ph.D., the Chrysler Museum’s Carolyn and Richard Barry Curator of Glass, will accompany the exhibition. The publication also includes contributions from Erik Neil, Museum Director; Seth Feman, the Chrysler’s Deputy Director for Art & Interpretation and Robin Rogers, the Manager and Program Director at the Chrysler Museum’s Perry Glass Studio.

Dan Dailey is guided by the properties of liquid glass in his approach to traditional artistic formats like vases, busts and landscape painting. He articulates his perceptions and thoughts about humanity through the medium of glass, pushing the material to new frontiers in order to tell stories about human nature. Known as one of the most unique voices within the field of contemporary glass, he pairs an industrial palette of glass and metal with precise draftsmanship and technical craftsmanship. The Chrysler’s exhibition will include blown and hot-worked glass vases and sculpture, along with glass cane murals and wall reliefs made from Vitrolite, industrial colored glass that was only made between 1900–1947. Original drawings will also be on view, showing how drawing is embedded in Dailey’s working process.

“Use of the term ‘sketch’ in this show is by no means intended to suggest that Dan Dailey’s artworks are somehow incomplete ideas or rough, quick images that are unfinished and meant to be the basis for a final work,” explains Needell. “Dailey’s artworks are fully realized visions made with materials that actually underscore the work’s completeness. The word ‘sketch’ draws attention to how Dailey’s artwork embodies both the purpose and process of sketching, capturing the essence or overall meaning and nature of something in a seemingly simple and spontaneous manner.”

Subjective and narrative in nature, Dailey’s work is inspired by the human character and based upon his direct observation of the world. The artist makes no attempt at realism, however, and renders his figures in a way that reveals their emotions and thoughts. While Dailey’s artwork touches on numerous subjects and motifs, his observations of humanity are the focus of the Chrysler’s exhibition. “Again and again, the human figures in Dailey’s work attract the eye of the viewer—in recognition, astonishment and amusement,” said Needell.

Dailey is a highly respected and innovative artist who has made a significant impact in educating several generations of glass artists. He founded the Glass Department at Massachusetts College of Art in 1973 and has taught at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rhode Island School of Design, Pilchuck Glass School and Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. The artist has lectured widely in America, Europe and Japan. He has participated in more than 250 group, juried and invitational exhibitions since 1971 and has had numerous solo museum and gallery exhibitions.

Programming

Gallery Talk
Saturday, April 4, 2020
11 a.m. │ Free
Explore the artworks on view in Dan Dailey: Character Sketch with Carolyn Swan Needell, Ph.D., the Carolyn and Richard Barry Curator of Glass. See the diversity of formats the artist uses in his artworks, and learn about his mastery of observation and figural rendering.

Visiting Artist Series: Dan Dailey
Evening with the Artist
Friday, May 8
7 p.m. │ Free for Museum Members, $5 for non-members

Free Demonstrations
Friday–Sunday, May 8–10, 2020
10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–4 p.m. Friday
10 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Free

The Perry Glass Studio’s Visiting Artist Series brings the world’s top glass art talent to the 757. During his visit to Norfolk, Dan Dailey will offer free demonstrations throughout the weekend and give a public lecture on his work. Watch Dailey work with the Glass Studio team and special guest gaffer Richard Royal as they create unique blown and sculptural glass objects. Learn more about his technique during a lecture on Friday.

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ABOUT THE CHRYSLER MUSEUM OF ART

The Chrysler Museum of Art is one of America’s most distinguished mid-sized art museums, with a nationally recognized collection of more than 30,000 objects, including one of the great glass collections in America. The core of the Chrysler’s collection comes from Walter P. Chrysler, Jr., an avid art collector who donated thousands of objects from his private collection to the Museum. The Museum, expanded in 2014 to add additional gallery spaces and amenities for visitors, now has growing collections in many areas and mounts an ambitious schedule of visiting exhibitions and educational programs each season. The Chrysler has also been recognized nationally for its unique commitment to hospitality with its innovative gallery host program.

The Perry Glass Studio is a state-of-the-art facility on the Museum’s campus. The studio offers programming for aspiring and master artists alike in a variety of processes including glassblowing, fusing, flameworking, coldworking and neon. The studio has also cultivated a reputation for its cutting-edge performance evenings, and was the host venue of the 2017 Glass Arts Society Conference.

In addition, the Chrysler Museum of Art administers two historic houses in downtown Norfolk: the Moses Myers House and the Willoughby-Baylor House, as well as the Jean Outland Chrysler Library. General admission is free at all venues. For more information on the Chrysler Museum of Art, visit chrysler.org.

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 For more information, interview assistance, or a high-resolution image suitable for publication, please contact Amber Kennedy at The Meridian Group at (757) 340-7425 or Amber@themeridiangroup.com.