Happy Glass at Landhuis Bloemhof
‘Happy Glass’, an exhibition of glass sculptures showing roll-ups, streamers and plates by glass artist Luis La Rooy (Netherlands, 1947) at Landhuis Bloemhof, in Curaçao.
“Louis always insists on staying away from the obviously beautiful and elegant qualities of glassblowing. Instead, he prefers bold and dramatic forms, forms that are at the limits of our control. Always pushing the boundaries of what is possible.”
From: Richard Price in ‘Louis La Rooy. Happy Glass’, 2011.
In 1995 Louis La Rooy participated in a group exhibit, ‘Hedendaagse Nederlandse Glaskunst’ (Contemporary Dutch Glass Art), at The Curaçao Museum. Twelve artists from The Netherlands, including Corneille, Mieke Groot, Willem Heesen, Dorothé van Driel, Piet Hein Stuhlemeijer, Richard Price, and Richard Meitner participated in this show, made possible through a cultural collaboration between The Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba.
Three years ago, Louis returned to Curaçao and had a successful solo at Landhuis Bloemhof, showing his glass sculptures, made in the different techniques he uses like streamers, plates, and roll-ups.
Today, on April 6th, 2013, the new solo of Louis, ‘Happy Glass’, was opened at Landhuis Bloemhof by Karin Verputten. Luis La Rooy was present at the opening. Karin Verputten is the graphic designer of the catalog of collected works (2011) by Louis La Rooy. In her opening words, Karin commented that we usually look through the glass, and Louis makes us look at the glass. She also mentioned how the tropical, sunny climate of the island appears to be a delightful match with Louis’s art.
The title of the exhibit and catalog refer to his art. His playful use of colors and forms creates a joyful, happy atmosphere, especially when so much of his work is brought together in the same location. Happy Glass is the perfect description of his work.
Louis doesn’t wait for inspiration. He sets out to work and creates. From the first moment he came in contact with the decorative aspect of glass; he became fascinated by the material. He has since been exploring the possibilities for creating esthetic objects using bold and vibrant colors. He defines his style as aggressive, rugged, and angular. By combining different techniques, using daring color combinations and unusual forms, he creates strong, appealing, and still elegant pieces.
Catalogue: Louis La Rooy. Happy Glass. 45 years in love with glass. (2011) is sold at Landhuis Bloemhof.
Click here for Luis La Rooy’s website.
Other exhibits by Louis La Rooy in 2013:
Portugal
Arte Algarve Open VII with special guests Louis La Rooy & Harry Klunder.
March 9th, 2013 till June 8th,2013,
At Galeria Arte Algarve,
Edificio da cooperativa do Algarve,
Lagoa Algarve 8400 Portugal.
www.artealgarve.net
France
Musee du Verre de Dordives.
May 4th, 2013 till August 28th, 2013
Musee du Verre et de ses Metiers,
12, Avenue de Lyon (RN7) BP6-45680 Dordives.
www.musee-dordives.fr