Jamie Harris, Totem II, USA, 2024

The Totem Series are vertically stacked illuminated glass sculptures by contemporary artist and designer Jamie Harris. The magnificence of the hand blown glass globes exude a meditative, ethereal quality that is juxtaposed by the work’s strong physical presence embodied in the 8′ long totemic structure.

“Totems are objects built out of symbols – in my work, the symbols are the abstract language of light and color.” says the artist. This is his initial foray introducing color to this series, previously only available in shades of white. Harris describes the alchemy of adding color while glassblowing as a, “science of prediction: anticipating how the color of a bubble blown at the furnace will dilute days later.”

There is probably no practice more miraculous, physically demanding, and precarious than glass making. Glass only has a transitory period when it can be manipulated, Harris sees the process as a dance or performance. Creating a harmonious, flowing palette across the glass globes measuring 8’ from hanging point to base, added yet another technical hurdle which the artist seamlessly surpasses.

Harris’ work is a relentless examination of the purity of color and the limitless modulations that can evoke emotional resonance through visual contrasts. Inspired by 20th century modernist painters including Rothko, Nolan, Kelly and Albers’ color theory, Harris aims to “capture the flowing sense of color and movement I see when glass is at 2000 degrees.” Harris began deepening his practice of developing colored glass and introducing the iridized essence of Tiffany glass for his lighting designs with the Circles and Lines series, which premiered at the gallery in 2022. The artist views iridescence as bringing an accent to the colors and feelings he evokes in his work.

Each unique glass globe and glass bulb diffuser is hand-blown and cut by Harris and assembled on a customizable brass armature. This series is available for commission and customizable by scale, hue, iridescence.

Glass, Brass, LED
96h x 12w x 12d in
243.84h x 30.48w x 30.48d cm