Dale Chihuly Carnival Macchia with Red Lip, Signed Hand Blown Glass Contemporary Art

Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Carnival Macchia with Red Lip
Year: 2004
Medium: Hand Blown Glass
Size: 9" h × 12" w × 10 1/2" diameter
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly PP04"
Edition: PP (Portland Press) 2004
Condition: Good condition overall, please request condition report
Authenticity: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

Dale Chihuly's Carnival Macchia is a stunning example of Dale Chihuly's unparalleled talent and his ability to transform glass into artworks that captivate and inspire. This piece is a mesmerizing example of Chihuly's ability to transform glass into unexpected asymmetrical shapes in a rainbow of vibrant, often contrasting colors. This particular piece draws inspiration from the joyful and festive atmosphere of a carnival, exuding a sense of energy, excitement, and playfulness.

The interior or the Carnival Macchia is a bright, sunshine yellow paired with a multi-colored rainbow exterior. It's been said that Chihuly aimed to use all 300 colors in his hot shop through his Macchia series, and the evidence of that effort can be seen in pieces like with it's wide ranging color pallet. Each spot, dot, and speck is carefully applied, resulting in a seemingly random yet harmonious composition that bursts with life. Along with the color fluctuations, the undulating contours and flared edges of the piece imbue the piece with a sense of energetic movement and dynamism.

Dale Chihuly's Carnival Macchia is part of the 2004 Portland Press edition. It is signed "Chihuly PP 04" and comes with a certificate of authenticity from Modern Artifact.

About Dale Chihuly

One of the most famous contemporary glass artists in the world, Dale Chihuly is best known for his monumental sculptures and installations. He is the name behind the spectacular ceiling at the Bellagio's flower garden in Las Vegas and the creator of the Rotunda Chandelier at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Glass works of Dale Chihuly are considered some of the most desired collectibles between the decorative arts devotees today.

Despite his initial indifference towards education, Chihuly has spent a lot of time in school, obtaining both scientific and artistic degree in sculpture from prestigious graduate schools. He displayed a proclivity for interior design and craft early on, but his true passion was always in the glass. He was a Fulbright Fellow in the late 1960s and an apprentice at the Venini Glass Factory in Venice. Mastering the art of Murano glasswork, he continued the experiments with glassblowing and thus became one of the people who brought the ancient art of glassblowing back into the spotlight on an international scale.

Monumental and small-scale artwork of Dale Chihuly is present in over 200 most renowned decorative art collections today, while the artist holds twelve honorary doctorates! The most illustrious series in his work are Cylinders and Baskets he created in the 1970s; Macchia, Venetians, and Persians from the 1980s, Niijima Floats and Chandeliers created in the 1990s; and a more recent one, Fiori from the 2000s.

For over 30 years, Dale Chihuly has been acting as an artistic director of his team of craftsmen, since he was incapacitated in two accidents, which left him blind in one eye and incapable of holding the blowing tube. This change allowed him to see the possibilities of glass work on a broader scale, while still maintaining his recognizable style.