Cornell's Johnson Museum Analysis

Cornell’s Johnson Museum has been blessed with a collection of a rarer variety. The “From the Dark Sea” exhibit displays a handful of glass invertebrate models created by the celebrated Blaschka family. The creative side of the Blaschka family consisted of Leopold Blaschka and his son, Rudolf. In the 19th and early 20th century, the pair produced blown glass replica of various marine life which they sold to museum and universities around the world. Cornell is one of a few academic institutions that has a collection of these glass recreations on display. Originally used for anything from decor to academic pursuits, these models give insight into the the versatility of glassblowing as a medium and the intersection between art and science. The exhibit itself does great job presenting the topic and it’s corresponding information in tandem.

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At the opening there is a large canvas advertising what is perhaps the collection’s most representative piece, Loligo Bianconi, a glass squid with blue rings around its eye and pink dots leading down its mantle. Next to the sign the exhibit appears to break off into a room and seemingly separate long hallway that bleeds into the next exhibit. To best appreciate the lay one should start in the room. Before walking in, the polychromatic light of a tv screen is visible. People are seated on a pair of cushioned seats staring at a screen which displays an older glass smith working on a glass sculpture of a woman. Right at the entrance, you are presented with information that creates context and ensures an appreciation for the art of blown glass. The video details the process of lamp working