Bertil Vallien
Covered by droit de suite
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a unique sant casted glass sculpture of a boat, Kosta Boda, Sweden, probably 1980s.
Elements and differents symbols inside the glass and in relief around the hull, floating figures, crosses, a packet etc, the top with a glass dome, signed B. Vallien KOSTA BODA UNIQUE 1363989257. Length 195 cm, height ca 13 cm, width ca 15 cm, total height 50 cm, including iron stand with wires, total width 33 cm.
A few chips to edges, minute chip to the front tip.
Provenance
Reportedly acquired from the last owner circa 1995.
Literature
Gunnar Lindqvist (ed), "Glass eats light", Carlssons, Borås 1999, compare similar boats illustrated.
More information
"I make boats beause I think the form is beautiful, it carries both mystique and symbols. It applies passage. That's what life is - a voyage from start to finish" (quote by Bertil Vallien, from Gunnar Lindqvist (ed), "Glass eats light", Carlssons, Borås 1999, p 133).
Designer
Bertil Vallien (b. 1938) is a Swedish glass designer and ceramicist. He pursued his studies at Konstfack in Stockholm as well as on study trips to Denmark and the USA. In the 1960s, Vallien worked at Boda glassworks as an assistant to Erik Höglund, and was later linked to Åfors glassworks. Vallien works primarily in glass and has developed a distinctive style of sandcast glass sculptures, often depicting boats and heads. His sculptures have a kind of inner glow that lingers in the memory. Vallien is represented around the world and has been awarded the prize "Visionaries! Award" in 2001. Bertil was married to the artist Ulrica Hydman-Vallien.
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