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EDWARD F. GROUT PERSONAL STATEMENT

FIBER-GLASS EXHIBIT SEPTEMBER 22 TO NOVEMBER 1, 2006

My artistic experience is an evolution of expression primarily in the medium of glass. I have been working with glass since 1972, beginning, as a stained glass artist, evolving to explore hand-blown and cast glass at the Virginia Commonwealth University MFA program. I studied with Kent Ibsen, Bertil Vallien, and Paul Marioni.

The inspiration for this collection of fused glass work is cellular structure. About a year and half ago, a close friend of mine, Darlene, shared some of her scholarly, scientific research. Darlene photographed cells for documentation purposes. After viewing her photographs, I was struck by the complexity, uniqueness, and familiarity of their composition. The relationship of the cell components was intriguing. We compared disparate cell images. For instance, it was ironic, puzzling, and humorous how similar a human brain cell is to a cell of a root vegetable, giving an evolutionary affirmation to the term “couch potato”.

Darlene gave me a glossy publication which illustrated illuminated cells. The cellular images had been enhanced by introducing florescent dyes and stains. These stains target and colorize unique parts of the cell, in a sense imposing an alteration just by the effort to extract information, analyze processes, and decode life.

With the current confounding, disquieting, and incredible scientific work being done at the cellular and sub-cellular level, I feel uneasy and bewildered. I processed some of my uneasiness through my creative work. When you look at these individual fused glass disks, it may be as if you are looking through a microscope. What you see are cells that are interpreted, enhanced, and enlivened by color, technique, and density. For instance, you might be looking at components of a rat brain cell mixed with components of a turnip cell.

It is said that humans relish the idea of recreating themselves to perpetuate their own specific genetic pool. Some scientific efforts dovetail with this desire to create a human hybrid. Human beings made in ones likeness: elasticized, homogenized, and fortified. These cellular improvements qualified & certified by their various scientific trials. I named these works in honor of this ironic and enigmatic venture: “Frankencells”.

View "Franken Cells"...