Vessel of Light
Date2010
Mediumcast glass
Dimensions13 × 3 1/2 × 3 1/2 in. (33 × 8.9 × 8.9 cm)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineGift of Patricia Newman in memory of Arthur S. Newman, Jr., 2023
Object number2023.8.1
DescriptionCast glass vase-like form with long neck. The neck and has a gold top with a wide slit in it. There is gold inside a hollow space reaching from the base through the bottom of the vase shape.eMuseum Notes
The cast glass sculptures of artist Howard Ben Tré resemble functional forms and often draw inspiration from sacred objects and architecture. His Vessel of Light uses the translucency of the glass to create a soft glow, as though the object emits light from within. When combined with the gold leaf, which was used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance to symbolize holiness, the result suggests spiritual transcendence.
Vessel of Light was commissioned by the Palm Springs Art Museum Contemporary Art Council for the 2019 benefit auction ARTrageous Redux.
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