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MIRAGE​

Glass in the Fourth Dimension

Mirage was a juried exhibition at London Glassblowing in collaboration with the Contemporary Glass Society (CGS) that ran from 1-29 June 2025. I proposed the theme, developed the curatorial direction, and worked closely with London Glassblowing & the CGS to bring the exhibition to life.​​

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The title speaks to what is so singular about glass as a material. Though firmly three-dimensional, glass possesses a rare ability to hold multiple internal perspectives at once. Light is not just reflected but bent, layered, multiplied. Shapes shift. Surfaces vanish. Perception becomes fluid. In this way, glass invites a kind of fourth dimension, a space where presence and illusion begin to blur. It’s this immersive and ever-changing quality that makes glass such a compelling material for exploring the boundaries of visual experience.

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The exhibition brought together 70 artists from across the UK, ranging from emerging voices to some of the most respected figures in contemporary glass, including Katharine Coleman MBE, Colin Reid, Peter Layton, Anthony Scala, Cathryn Shilling, Layne Rowe, and Tim Rawlinson. It was a privilege to watch the show exceed expectations but honestly, the best part was watching people walk through the gallery, stop, double take, then double take a second time. That’s what these pieces inspire: That pause. That quizzical inspection. That feeling of seeing something you can’t quite explain. A mirage.

The idea for Mirage began while I was working in the gallery at London Glassblowing, surrounded by an ever-changing display of extraordinary glass art. I found myself particularly drawn to the pieces that offered something beyond the surface. Works that didn’t just look beautiful but changed as you moved around them. They bent the light, played tricks, made you question what you were actually seeing. Two people could be staring at the exact same piece and yet see something entirely different. That fascination sparked the idea for a show centred around optical illusion and layered perception.

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Exhibition highlight reel:

Glass Artwork Pictured Above:

Left Top - Anthony Scala, Keeper of Rainbows

Left Upper Middle - Tomas Brzon, Lilac Purple Composition

Left Right Middle - Tim Rawlinson, Hydrozoa Prysm

Left Bottom - Katharine Coleman MBE, Green Dragon Bowl

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Right Top - Tim Rawlinson, Inner World Vesuvius

Right Upper Middle - Layne Rowe, Spectrum Corruption

Right Right Middle - Harriet Thorne, Refracted

Right Bottom - Nancy Sutcliffe, Beetle Box

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Photo Credits: London Glassblowing

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Music Credit (for Video): Gavin Luke - All the Gold

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© 2025 Will Budgett. All Rights Reserved.

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