88-year-old Swedish glass artist Bertil Vallien, known as the "father of a lost technique" for perfecting glass sand-casting, presents his first solo exhibition in Brooklyn at the Robert Lehman Gallery. Titled "Starman: Sixty Years of Exploring Glass Art," the show features 35 works spanning his 64-year career, including his signature glass heads, transparent boats, surreal sculptures, and colorful vases. Vallien has worked with the Swedish heritage brand Kosta Boda since 1963 and is credited with popularizing black glass and pushing the boundaries of the medium.
The exhibition matters because it offers a rare comprehensive view of a living master who has reshaped the landscape of glass art over six decades, demonstrating both technical innovation and deep storytelling through mythological references. Vallien's work challenges traditional perceptions of glass as merely decorative craft, elevating it to a fine art medium capable of profound expression. The show also highlights the enduring collaboration between an individual artist and a nearly 300-year-old brand, underscoring how heritage and experimentation can coexist in contemporary art.