My Secret: Pacific Rose
When I think about art I see Picasso. I see faces, colors, things that should never be together are now one, a happy one: collages, statues, weird figures everywhere. Art is an adventure through expression, style, and creativity. When I say adventure I’m speaking of a safari mixed with a survival of the fittest, spitting out only greatness and uniqueness. In Charlotte, North Carolina’s Mint Museum there were many that attempted this adventure but one in particular who made it through was Jon Kuhn; his adventure was backed up by a breathtaking piece called Pacific Rose.
Jon Kuhn’s background makes him seem as if he is a world renowned artist. Yet he is a very underrated artist with an array of accomplishments. Kuhn’s specialty is glass work but unlike other artists who use molten and blown glass, Kuhn uses cold glass that is cut, polished, and fused into many shapes from the outside in (Kuhn). This unique style of work has lead Kuhn to be featured in over 40 international museums, and a few public and private residences. One of his greatest accomplishments is having a few of his pieces claimed by the White House’s permanent collection.
With such a broad resume Jon Kuhn should be a household name, yet Kuhn enjoys and would rather play the background underrated artist who “brings light and joy to those who experience them” (Kuhn). When you see Jon Kuhn’s work you are sure to know it’s his. Kuhn likes to take a shape and make it where it absorbs light while reflecting a diamond like appearance (Kuhn). This is what captured my attention when it came to his amazing piece Pacific Rose. This piece was no bigger than roughly four feet and yet had such a loud, strong, engaging voice.
When I first saw it I was amazed at how bright and colorful it was but the more I looked at it I saw something more, something deeper. Pacific Rose is four foot upside down, elongated, clear pyramid with two pyramids and a cube hanging freely within it. When one first looks at the shapes it looks like a bunch of small brick red, gray, black, and turquoise blocks put together to make the shapes. But the deeper you look into the figure you see that each small square has hundreds of layers. Also within the layers are scribbles and writing that take the piece to another level.
I then walk around the piece to get a better view and I feel as if I’ve been tricked. The solid shapes that I saw on one side are no longer solid. This is where the bright lights shining on the figure plays a huge role. In actuality the shapes look as if they have been annihilated, like an atomic bomb was dropped and the shapes are exploding. But the unique thing about these exploding figures is that all the while that they are exploding they somehow manage to keep their shape. This figure makes me want to get inside of the clear upside down pyramid and take a walk through the little figures within.
This figure showed the exact path and journey Jon Kuhn took on his adventure through expression, style, and creativity. It not only showed this but also explained as to why he is featured in so many great places. His work is so amazing and extravagant that a part of me is happy that he is so underrated, for I would love to keep his beauties a secret and all to myself. But I know this is impossible for his work speaks so loud and with strength so strong that you must listen. It is only time before Jon Kuhn is being used as a household name. Jon Kuhn is now my new definition of art.
Works Cited
- Kuhn, Jon. “Artist Jon Kuhn.” Kuhn Studio. N.p., 2002-2011. Web. 21 Dec 2011. <http://www.kuhnstudio.com/
