Valentin Rizzo - Instant suspendu

In my work, I seek to unleash the fabulous potential of glass, its plurality. Glass has many facets that are at once opposite and inseparable. Exploiting these facets is like playing with balance in creation. For me, it is an essential principle that governs far more than physical laws. To be a glassblower is to find the ideal rhythm, between anticipation and spontaneity, it is to defy gravity. Isn’t that the most beautiful balance?

In my series of pieces, “Instant suspendu,” I seek to play with balance. They are real equilibria; the pieces are worked on separately and assembled according to their natural balance point.

To secure the display of the works I then perform a UV collage, between the two glass pieces.

I am fascinated by the visual effects that can be created by playing between transparency and opacity, which allows for developing a very elegant universe.

This material is naturally bright and “luminous,” but it is possible to treat the surface to satin it, to make it matte. This texture play yields very interesting effects; I find it particularly suited to my work with solid glass.

Solid glass has a very particular vibration between lightness and solidity; one can perceive it as full or empty, and that can fool the senses.

Finding the right balance between these aspects is very important to me. I aim to create a piece that is both complex and visually simple, while revealing a vast universe to be discovered in terms of details.

To work with solid glass we proceed by adding layers of glass and build the interior-to-exterior decor. This allows multiple levels of decor and creates very powerful contrasts.

Through careful sizing, I can then create windows of transparency and visual imbalances, allowing me to play with the viewer’s emotions and feelings.