According to those in the know, Tel Aviv is the home of one of the world’s premier art glass galleries. The 9,000-square-foot gallery in Museum Tower, a prestigious office building adjacent to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, is home to fabulous shows which display incredible pieces to best advantage. Owner Muly Litvak’s gallery, which opened last year, has 20-foot-tall ceilings and state-of-the-art systems to control every aspect of the display of artwork. It includes niches and rooms especially designed to showcase art glass, as well as an outdoor display area where Tel Aviv’s architecture almost becomes part of the show. The 2010-11 winter show features world renowned artist Dale Chihuly, who is recognized internationally for his use of color, fluid glass forms and large-scale installations, some of which were designed specifically for the Litvak Gallery. Building on the centuries-old approach to glass blowing by working in teams, Chihuly has created the most groundbreaking glass sculptures of modern times. I was given an excellent tour of the show by Roxanne Present Cohen, who informed me about the various pieces and put Chihuly’s work into its historical context. Chihuly has been the recipient of many awards, including ten honorary doctorates and two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a co-founder of the Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington, which is an international center for glass art education. Chihuly has played a major role in bringing glass into the realm of contemporary art. He has created many well-known series of works, among them the Baskets, Persians, and Seaforms (see photo), but he is also celebrated for large architectural installations. In 1999, Chihuly mounted his most challenging exhibition, Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem. The show was held over due to the huge demand and more than one million visitors attended the Tower of David Museum to view his installations. Many people returned a second time to see the show both during daylight and in the evening. A decade later, Israelis and visitors again have the pleasure of encountering Chihuly’s work in a memorable setting. It was so interesting that I returned for another look in the evening, which was a great idea. Everything in the show is for sale and there is a small admission charge, which is well worth the price. See http://litvak.com for more information. Steve Kramer is an expert in touring Israel and he also blogs for Travelujah. See his new book at www.encounteringisrael.com. People can learn, plan and share their Holy Land tour and travel experiences on Travelujah.

Tags: tel aviv art glass chihuly litvak gallery glassblowing