Exhibition at NZ Glassworks in Whanganui to celebrate glass artists' work

The Crystal Chain Gang's Leanne Williams and Jim Dennison with the CoLab Chandelier which will soon be hung in its permanent home at New Zealand Glassworks. Photo / Bevan Conley

The New Zealand Society of Glass Artists (NZSAG) will celebrate its 40th anniversary with an exhibition at New Zealand Glassworks (NZG) in Whanganui.

The 2020 Members Show will feature a wide range of new works by New Zealand-based artists from the society and will be on display throughout March.

NZSAG was formed in 1980 to represent New Zealand's established glass artists, to foster new talent and to promote contemporary glass to the wider community. NZG is the national centre for glass in New Zealand.

The exhibition provides a platform for emerging and established artists to present new work and highlight the creative endeavours of the society.

To mark the 40th anniversary, NZSAG will award a $1000 cash prize. Industry peers will choose a winner from the exhibition entries, with the award presented on opening night of the exhibition.

Forty artists contributed to the CoLab Chandelier. Photo / Bevan Conley

In conjunction with the exhibition, NZG will rehang and display the CoLab Chandelier, NZG manager Scott Redding said.

The Crystal Chain Gang, with assistance from other artists, made a collaborative chandelier for The CoLab Conference held in Whanganui in February 2019. NZSAG and Ausglass members collaborated on the project, with artists creating a dynamic, illuminated and unique work of art glass.

"The finished piece was on exhibition at the Sarjeant Gallery over the course of the conference and will now hang in its permanent home above the hot shop floor at NZG," Redding said.

The exhibition opens at 4.30pm on Saturday, February 29, then runs every day from 10am to 4.30pm until it closes on March 31.

New Zealand Glassworks (NZG) is at 2 Rutland St.