Artist: Dale Chihuly
Title: Tiger Lily Seaform Pair
Medium: Handblown Glass Sculpture
Largest piece measures 5.5" x 9" x 9.5"
Smallest piece measures 4" x 4 x 4.5"
Inscription: Signed "Chihuly PP 02"
Year: 2002
Documentation: Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
Dale Chihuly's Tiger Lily Seaform Pair (2002) is a handblown glass sculpture comprising two complementary forms. The larger piece measures 5.5" x 9" x 9.5", while the smaller measures 4" x 4" x 4.5". The smaller piece is signed “Chihuly PP 02" and accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity.
Part of Chihuly's Seaforms series, this pair demonstrates the artist's exploration of asymmetry, organic form, and the expressive possibilities of handblown glass. Departing from traditional symmetrical vessels, the Seaforms series emphasizes fluidity, irregularity, and naturalistic movement, drawing inspiration from aquatic environments and marine life. The forms' undulating edges and spiral motifs reference the rhythm and motion of waves, while the interplay of curved surfaces and dimensionality conveys a sense of dynamic energy.
"Tiger Lily Seaform Pair" combines translucent glass with a bold, warm color palette, including rich reds and oranges reminiscent of a tiger lily flower. The pieces feature a contrasting blue border that frames the composition and accentuates the vibrancy of the interior hues. The opaque interiors provide depth and contrast, emphasizing the intensity of the warm tones and the sculptural qualities of the forms.
The pair illustrates Chihuly's technical mastery and creative approach, capturing both the physical properties of glass and the visual qualities of natural forms. Through these works, Chihuly continues to expand the language of studio glass, creating pieces that are both sculptural and painterly in their use of color, form, and light.
About Dale Chihuly
Dale Chihuly (b. 1941) is one of the most influential figures in contemporary glass, celebrated for transforming the medium from craft tradition into large-scale, immersive art. Born in Tacoma, Washington, Chihuly began his study of interior design and architecture at the University of Washington before discovering glass as his primary medium. He continued his training at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, home to the first glass program in the United States, and later at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he would go on to establish his own glass program and inspire a generation of artists.
A Fulbright Fellowship in the late 1960s allowed Chihuly to study at the Venini glass factory in Murano, Italy, where he absorbed Venetian techniques that would profoundly shape his practice. His co-founding of the Pilchuck Glass School in 1971 marked a turning point for studio glass in America, providing an experimental environment that helped expand the creative potential of glass far beyond functional design.
Chihuly's work is characterized by its scale, color, and organic form. Series such as Persians, Seaforms, Chandeliers, and Macchia demonstrate his interest in pushing glass to its physical and expressive limits, often resulting in monumental installations that transform architectural spaces into immersive environments of light and color.
His career has been marked by international recognition, with works held in major museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. Public commissions, such as the ceiling installation at the Bellagio in Las Vegas and the expansive Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, underscore his role in bringing glass into the realm of large-scale public art.
Through innovation, collaboration, and an embrace of spectacle, Chihuly has redefined the possibilities of glass and secured his position as one of the most important artists of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries.
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