The Corning Museum of Glass showcased the work of the legendary father-and-son team, Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka, who crafted glass models of sea creatures as scientific teaching aids in the late 19th century. The exhibition featured 80 glass invertebrate models, 21 original drawings, 9 photographs, and 35 support objects such as studio tools and a lampworking table. Working with the museum’s curators, Selldorf selected 41 models for a marine diorama and paired 14 models and drawings to be displayed in custom teak veneer inset wall vitrines with tablets below that offer additional insight about the creatures on display.
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The design created an intuitive circulation to experience the vivid colors and delicate forms of the glass models and rarely displayed original drawings. Visitors learned about the model making process from ingredients, period tools and catalogues displayed throughout the exhibition. An interactive map that located different preservation projects taking place around the globe allowed visitors to further explore the Blaschka team and their lasting impact.
- Client:Corning Museum of Glass
- Location:Corning, NY
- Size:2,000 sf
- Date:2016
Local Architect: Cowie Montgomery Architects
(Photography: Collection of The Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY)