SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 33 GASnews ISSUE 3 MAKE SOMETHING BETTER: GASNEWS INTERVIEW WITH VICTORIA AHMADIZADEH MELENDEZ
searing circuit 2019 12 mm glass tubing filled with argon gas, mercury 30 in H x 30 in W x 3 in D Photo Credit: Artist
GASnews: Your approach to glass embraces that look and feel rich. I’ve never shied GN: Balancing between finesse and technical skills while tapping into the broad away from throwing in other materials, in funk, your work points to that embrace metaphoric capacity of the material. What part because I think about it in the same of both high- and low-brow materials and does glass, as a material and medium for terms of high-and-low brow combinations processes. Are there material qualities, expression, uniquely provide for you as an in fashion—things are more exciting when found or fabricated, that you gravitate artist? anything goes. toward or are most salient to your aesthetic? You mention technique here and I think Victoria Ahmadizadeh Melendez: I really do it’s worth noting that it’s a medium that VAM: A couple of years ago, while we were feel that glass has been the most enthralling keeps me on my toes, as both a viewer and doing a residency, my friend H Schenck told medium I have ever worked in. I love its a maker. In my earlier years of working with me in conversation that my work comes transition from movement to stasis, and its the material, there were definitely things across as slick, shiny, punchy and cut-throat unending potential to transform. For me, that I thought I would simply never be able to to him. I loved that! I was pretty proud to glass at its best is always something that do; actions I would see others perform that receive that description of my work; it’s threatens to evolve once you look away I assumed belonged to them. It’s been a something that I try to keep living up to. from it. My current work has a lot to do with fantastic source of personal power to prove That string of words implies having a lot desire and interpersonal relationships, and myself wrong, to continually unlock these of impact, and I think a lot about how to what those relationships have to teach you doors and “level up” to the next stage of continue making objects that are able to about yourself. It seems suiting then that the capability. My development as a glassmaker embody those adjectives. material itself allures me, that I should be has paralleled my growth as a person, I like for things to be pretty striking, in required to have a lifelong dialogue with it in as I am continually able to shatter my terms of the color combinations I choose, order to maintain my relationship with it. perceptions of myself. You have to try new unexpected textures coming together, and I view glass as a high-brow material, things in order to adapt and grow. You have incorporating found elements that seem something that is somehow inherently regal to invest in yourself to be there for others. both random yet highly specific. and flashy in its transparency and gem-like The culture of glassmaking reinforces all of The part of the definition of cut-throat I qualities. I have never come from money these ideas for me. think about most is the part that says “fierce and I admit it’s fun for me to make objects and intense.” I’ve really enjoyed working with
GAS NEWS SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 33, ISSUE 3 9 selective memory (the most unkind morsels of the self removed) 2018 Artists’ denim jacket, blown glass shards, mixed media jacket: women’s size medium, installation dimensions variable Photo Credit: Artist
neon recently; I don’t think it can really get that sort of an experience for people—a at stories?” If your goal is to communicate any more striking and intense than that. multi-faceted narrative we can go through with others, maybe it’s best to let them in a together as maker and viewer. little bit on what’s going on, rather than just GN: Themes in your work often address tricking them. personal and cultural identity through GN: The themes, both personal and A lot of what I do nowadays is creating intimate visual narratives with dynamic universal, relating to your experiences are that “ineffable” mood for people to aesthetic qualities. What messages and/ expressed through titles and expressive feel rather than making a hard factual or experiences are you most interested in handling of material qualities that are statement. At the same time, I try to be shaping for your audience? often nuanced or nebulous (ineffable). Is it generous to those willing to piece some important that an audience decipher your things together. The titles of my objects are VAM: My work often begins and ends with intentions? usually pulled from a larger text, which often writing poetry and prose. It’s a way for appears someplace else in the exhibition. me to immediately get out my thoughts VAM: So the thing is, I love ambiguity. I It could be on the wall, it could be in a zine and feelings without being limited by the think that mystery is what makes life worth I made, but it’s up to the viewer to read the rules and regulations of more analytical living, and I think my art is pretty useless titles, read the writing, and plug some things or structured modes of expression. Then unless I’m making the viewer connect a together. I’ve also recited poetry at show from there, I have someplace to go. My few dots around the room. However, it’s openings, hoping that the audience will use writing deals with hefty themes like love, been a learning experience for me to figure my words to anchor their understanding death, and exposing the physical realm or out where I cross the line. Is it a luscious, of my objects. In a similar sense, my artist corporeality as deeply limiting. But I find provoking ambiguity that perfectly hints at talk has become more important now myself also touching upon the mundane a beautiful, subtle meaning? Or… is it just than ever, as I use it as a platform to show aspects of life in a city, like being really confusing? This summer I took a creative certain images while I recite specific lines. broke or experiencing the simplistic rush of writing class with Minneapolis-based writer I would love to make an artist book that a successful bike ride. I’m a huge music fan Abbey Mei Otis. She talked a lot about world shows images alongside accompanying and I love albums that take you through it building and ambiguity in short story writing. text, I think that would be pretty effective at all—the high highs and low lows. I think that More than once she said, “Do you want to sculpting a really specific experience and when I put on an exhibition, I try to create be good at tricks? Or do you want to be good understanding for people.
10 GAS NEWS SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 33, ISSUE 3 Far Left: falling to shatter 2016 blown glass mirrored and treated with shatter resistant coating, glass reflector beads, embossed label, sharpie on gold and silver mylar glass object: 16 in Dr, installation dimensions variable Photo Credit: Terry Brown
Left: a brazen love knot 2019 cast glass, blown glass, brass shavings, resin, paper 18 in H x 24 in W x 24 in D Photo Credit: Artist
GN: How has your experience as a woman of that there is nothing holding them back to say that you “like” something, but at the color impacted your voice as an artist and from making what they want besides time, same time, I try to be honest with myself – if educator? patience and practice. I took a workshop I walked in the gallery and saw this piece with Jen Elek and was really inspired by her I'm making, would I really be into it? Maybe VAM: My experience has formed my identity, teaching approach. She literally teaches there’s a theme you want to work with, and and my identity is my voice; it is inherently people to say 'please and thank you' to based on what others have done you think it present in everything that I say, do and one another in the shop. If you’re upset in should take on certain aesthetic qualities. make. It is a lens through which I offer my the studio, hard on yourself and everyone But are you really, truly passionate about every explanation, it is the hand I use to else around you, what will that really those qualities? Say what you want to say, reach out to try to help others. accomplish? It’s easy to forget to be kind and make it come from your voice and your when objects become the focus over people. interests. When you’re investing all of your GN: There is a connection that I think is It’s not a human being’s default, though – it time and money into it, it’s the least you particularly worth noting - your personal takes time and effort to remember to take could do. discovery, growth, and empowerment everything about that intense atmosphere through your development and mastery in stride. GN: What does the word radical mean to of glass and the use of your experience On a more conceptual note, I try to you in respect to the field of glass art? to reach out to others. What core beliefs remind my students that they can always or practices as a maker do you find most make something different from what VAM: These days it is a radical act to be any important to you as a teacher? they’ve ever made before. I remind myself kind of artist at all. It’s going to take a lot of this constantly. Just because you’ve had of perseverance, focus and risk-taking for VAM: When I’m teaching hot glass success making one thing doesn’t mean us to continue working with glass amongst specifically, I find myself really emphasizing you’re chained to it forever! Many of my our current global challenges. You could that everyone consciously works toward favorite artists have made work across say the same for any mode of expression, releasing feelings of fear and intimidation. several mediums and have a definite really, because expression is being I try to remember how scared I was to take evolution of their approach over time, and I persecuted right now. Recently, I’ve felt like my first gather, and the false notions I had think that’s healthy. Another great reminder a weed trying to grow through a crack in of what I could be capable of. I use those is simply to “make what you like.” This is the sidewalk. Maybe less important than experiences to help others understand harder than it sounds. It’s a taboo in critique the material itself in this discussion is the
GAS NEWS SUMMER 2020 VOLUME 33, ISSUE 3 11 Left: altered self (who I am as a semi circle), 2019. glass: blown, cast and coldworked, cast wax, vitreographic print 40 in H x 24 in W x 12 in D. Photo Credit: artist www.GlassArtMagazine.com www.GlassArtMagazine.com
ethos of transformation that I mentioned ideas being expressed. It’s upsetting to think earlier. A continued commitment to fluidity, that some voices may never be heard just an impulse to force stagnancy to give way because those people can’t afford to “pay into movement, an ongoing melting and to play.” Not everyone can do an internship deconstruction that eventually finds its for free to get ahead, or can pay to have their way to fresh creation and rebirth. There is artwork shipped abroad for a big exhibition. something better, and it is radical to set out Those issues are worrisome to me, in to find what that something better is. part, because they have been obstacles in my life as an artist. I hope that we can GN: Those are beautifully drawn metaphors generate more flow and movement in the to the material. What area of our field do glass community by creating more practical On the cover of the you see the greatest potential to transform paths for people like this to travel along, in a September/October 2020 issue of Glass Art®, stagnation into movement? way that is responsible and sustainable for RGB Murrine Button them. by Jodie McDougall. VAM: I really love the initiatives I’ve been seeing recently from organizations like Victoria Ahmadizadeh Melendez lives in Crafting the Future to raise money in order to Philadelphia, PA, and is faculty in Glass at For the creative include a more diverse population of makers Tyler School of Art and Architecture. She professional in our field. I think that if we are able to not enjoys working in her studio, writing poetry working in hot, only draw in, but also retain more diverse on the bus, taking care of plants, listening people in Glass, we’ll get some fresh energy to new music and learning about neon. warm, and cold glass just in terms of different viewpoints and 502.222.5631 [email protected]
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