SFO Museum devotes show to studio glass pioneer Marvin Lipofsky
‘Russian Group #5,’ 2006-7, Marvin Lipofsky, (1938-2016). Mold-blown glass; cut, sandblasted, and acid polished. Blown at the 1st International Symposium of Art Glass, Gus-Khrustalny, Russia, with help from Vladimir Zakharov and Boris Arbusov. Courtesy of Marvin Lipofsky Studio.
SAN FRANCISCO — Marvin Lipofsky (1938–2016) was a founding member of the American studio glass movement. Throughout his career, Lipofsky explored the limits of form and color in glass and helped to elevate the medium to a fine art. The SFO Museum will present Marvin Lipofsky: International Studio Glass from August 14 through September 25, 2022. It will be located pre-security in the International Terminal in the Departures Level in the San Francisco International Airport, and will be accessible to ticketed passengers and the general public.
Lipofsky’s most prolific period featured glass sculpture that was initiated in a collaborative setting, such as a factory or workshop, and then finished in his home studio in Berkeley, California. Whether it was created in the U.S. or in a different country, each sculptural series is unique and reflects the culture and environment in which it was made.
‘Frauneau Group #2,’ 2000-2002, Marvin Lipofsky, (1938-2016). Mold-blown glass; cut, sandblasted, and acid polished. Blown at the International Glass Symposium, Bild-Werk Factory, Frauneau, Germany, with help from Petr Novotny, finished by the artist in his Berkeley studio. Courtesy of Jeanette Bokhour
For close to five decades, Lipofsky worked in glass factories and workshops in more than twenty-five countries on five different continents, earning him the title of the “roving ambassador of glass.” Discarded molds, surplus glass, and the experience of his colleagues all lent a distinct character to each of his collaborative series.
Upon return to his Berkeley studio, Lipofsky spent countless hours with a diamond saw, pneumatic grinder, belt sander, and sandblasting cabinet, sculpting his blown glass forms into lively and organic expressions of studio craft. With great respect for glassmakers and their unique environments, Lipofsky consistently followed the path of local talent and molten glass to stunning and surprising outcomes.
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About SFO Museum:
Established in 1980 by the Airport Commission, SFO Museum’s mission is to delight, engage, and inspire a global audience with programming on a broad range of subjects; to collect, preserve, interpret, and share the history of commercial aviation; and to enrich the public experience at San Francisco International Airport. The Museum has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1999 and retains the distinction of being the only accredited museum in an airport. Today, SFO Museum features 25 galleries throughout the Airport terminals displaying a rotating schedule of art, history, science, and cultural exhibitions, as well as the San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum, which houses a permanent collection of more than 140,000 objects related to the history of commercial aviation. To browse current and past exhibitions, research our collection, or for more information, visit www.sfomuseum.org.
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