In this installation, So-sei, artists Akie Haga and Justine McLaren present flameworked glass habitats for native Australian plants as if in the aftermath of bushfire. Haga and McLaren combine glass and fire to portray their interpretation of So-sei, the Japanese word used to describe rebirth after destruction, the organic promise and unstoppable burst of fresh sprouts that follow devastation.
Motifs of fire-germinated plants appear with proportionally similar live native plants in a combination of glass domes and tubes, interweaving detachable glass components that hook and wind, sprout, and extend. The pieces reflect on the nature of plant germination and reshooting after the devastation of fire and the promise it brings. Artworks in the installation are split into interacting displays contrasting fire (destruction) with growth (regeneration). Suspended artworks are scaffolded into an interchangeable, interlocking ‘growth’ of glass.
Opening Hours | Wednesday to Sunday 10am – 4pm
Entry to this exhibition is free | No bookings required
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Over 20 years, Akie has practised her craft in flameworking glass, specialising in small-scale sculpture and wearable art. Her creations embody the fluidity and vibrancy of glass, showcasing its organic, colourful, and transparent essence. Through sculptural wearables, she unveils the unexpected capabilities of glass, making art portable and accessible to all, broadening its reach to a diverse audience, while highlighting the material's transformative qualities.
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Justine is a sculpture graduate from the ANU. After finishing her degree, she studied textile and plant fibre weaving in Laos and Vanuatu. Justine was exploring the integration of living plants into her work when she started experimenting with glass at Canberra Glassworks in 2018. In her most recent show, Artifex 23, Justine presented flameworked borosilicate glass and native Swiss water plants. Her work explores the tensions between fragile glass environments and the stewarding of the resilient plants she grows within them.
Image credit: Akie Haga | untitled, 2023 | Image courtesy of the Artist Image credit: Justine McLaren | Swiss botanica 3, 2023 | Photographer Marie-Laure Luca