Thaddeus Wolfe: Crossing the River to Fetch Water

This exhibition gathers Thaddeus Wolfe’s new kiln-constructed objects and blown flat wall reliefs. 

The work of Thaddeus Wolfe exhibits a dedication to the laborious techniques of glassmaking and an inquisitive, bold vision that leads the medium into new terrains. In his latest exhibition at Volume Gallery, Wolfe unveils a new vein of work in kiln-formed constructions that incorporate parts and cutoffs from older works. These parts are reassembled together using rough rectangular bars of glass that form open structures which stand and flow decisively, as if they were centuries-old geological formations. 

Akin to Wolfe’s previous rather architectural work, the exhibition also includes vibrant flat wall reliefs that are blown through his mold-blowing technique, resulting in intricate idiosyncratic forms. These pieces start with preparatory drawings which act as a guide for carving the molds, and once the glass is blown, it is ground into different layers of colors with some polished areas making the work interact with light. In the gallery, the work sits closely to the walls becoming highly spatial, marking the boundaries and corners of the space. 

Crossing The River To Fetch Water is a captivating look into Wolfe’s intuitive glass practice that continues to expand and accelerate in a singular manner. 

Thaddeus Wolfe (b.1979) studied art and design with a focus in glass at the The Cleveland Institute of Art where he received a BFA in 2002. He has held artist residencies at Pilchuck Glass School, The Creative Glass Center of America in New Jersey and the Tacoma Glass Museum. His work has been exhibited in New York at E.R. Butler and Co., Heller Gallery, Matter, R & Company, and The South Street Seaport Museum, and in Chicago with Volume Gallery. Thaddeus lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.