A warm thank you to the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, whose support made this residency possible.
The artist
Bruno Andrus is a glassblower, art historian and independent researcher. He was awarded several grants after graduating from Espace Verre in Montreal in 1997. His work has been exhibited internationally and is now part of various museum collections. His current artistic practice, inspired by experimental archaeology, is mainly oriented toward the investigation of ancient technologies and techniques of working with molten glass. Throughout his career, Bruno Andrus has combined his passion for art and glassblowing with his scientific interests in history and anthropology. His master's thesis was the first study on the history of glassblowing in Quebec. His doctoral thesis highlights the impact of Expo 67 on the development of glass art. The various skills he has developed, as well as his enthusiasm for the transmission of knowledge and know-how, have led him to offer publications, exhibitions, conferences, courses and training on several subjects.
Residency Project
This research, creation and mediation residency project consists of designing, building and operating an outdoor workshop with wood-fired clay kilns to shape, blow and refire molten glass.
This workshop based on pre-industrial technological methods will be built on the grounds of the Centre and will not include a permanent architectural structure. The specific site was selected, among other factors, based on its topography, the presence of a water source nearby and its position in relation to the dominant winds. The glass objects produced there will be used to create an animated in-situ art installation of which the workshop itself will be an integral part. The work in its final form will be unveiled in December 2023, during a happening marking the end of the annual residency at the Rozynski Art Centre.
This project is hybrid: it is about creating a performative artistic situation in the mode of experimental archaeology. By exploring the spaces of material, technical, technological and symbolic convergences between glass and ceramics, it also aims to encourage disciplinary crossings and the sharing of know-how. In the context of sustainable development, a fundamental aspect of this project is to generate alternative craft means and local networks of solidarity to promote self-sufficiency, independence and autonomy of craft artists in relation to globalized industrial production and commercial distributors of energy sources, materials, equipment and tools. His intention in carrying out this project is therefore holistic: to build a space for creation and reflection; to make the studio, in addition to a place for the production of objects, a space for the production of experiences and knowledge.
The one-year project will be carried out from January to December 2023. During four seasons, it will unfold in three main phases depending on the weather conditions specific to the local climate of the Eastern Townships: Phase 1 (January-April 2023: Research and preparatory work in the RAC's (indoor) workshop), Phase 2 (May-June 2023: Construction of the kilns and fitting out of the (outdoor) workshop), Phase 3 (July-December 2023: Production, creation and mediation activities).