Josiah McElheny: A Space for an Island Universe

In his works, the American artist Josiah McElheny questions the legacy of modernity from the standpoint of his practice as a master of glass, starting from the confluence of design, science and art. McElheny studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design, and increased his knowledge of traditional glass manufacturing techniques by studying with such masters as Ronald Wilkin. This book presents "Island Universe," an installation composed of five chromed aluminium and blown glass sculptures. The structures form spheres that depict the grouping of galaxies in the universe and lights symbolizing quasars (the most brilliant objects known to man). The starting point of this work are the chandeliers inside the New York Metropolitan Opera House, designed by Lobmeyr in 1965, the same year in which the first data in support of the Big Bang theory were made public. The work functions as a model of that theory of the origin of the universe.