Glass
The abundant material of glass has decreased in value over the years, and it has become a tool for representing all other than it in itself. Over the years, glass has gone from being a luxurious material, to being one of the most popular appliances. Today, people encounter glass in their everyday life without bothering to think about it. Glass has the obvious characteristic of being entirely clear; hence, making it easy to look through it. We have windows, window displays, glass vessels, lamps, vases but we never really look at the glass itself. In other words, humans look out the window, look at what is in the glass, and what is exhibited through it. How has a material that used to be a luxury, transform into one that is just a gateway to seeing other things?
Glass was first used by Ancient Egyptians, and it was considered one of the greatest luxuries. The blow pipe to create glass was invented in 100 B.C. and this gave rise to the creation of prodigious glass objects. Glass-making spread through Europe around the time of the Roman Empire, and it continued to extend through time. One thing that has remained almost the same over the centuries is its formula. The simple combination of sand, soda, and lime is still used amongst other variations. Humans have discovered that the addition of materials such as lead improve the quality of the glass, not to mention pigment to add color. As technology improved, commercial glass and manufacturing became available. Subsequently, glass began to be more accessible to people as well as to companies.
For the reason that glass became so accessible, it also entered the world of advertisement and merchandise. When it comes to glass advertising it usually depends on the object itself and its functionality. For instance, Green Building Advisor persuades interested costumers into buying sustainable and durable windows that include glazing for the conservation of temperature. They also mention sizing in order to provide an ample and beautiful view. Evidently, its not really about the glass itself but what a person is able to see and feel with it. Additionally, New York Glass advertises eyewear based on design and looks. They try to convince people that not wearing glasses in the sun can be harmful due to UV rays. On the other hand they also care about the looks, thus they try to convince costumers as they would with any other product. They try and make you feel special by saying “you might think that aviators are all the same, but there are actually three basic frame shapes to this classic style. Each one has a slightly different look and feel, and each one is perfect in its own way.” In reality, regardless of the glasses themselves you will still be looking through them not at them. Since this is the case for many glass products, advertisers will try to focus on aesthetics and functionality.
Although people advertise glass, it is also a material that sells itself. This is because glass has characteristics like durability, clarity, and inertness that make it ideal for containing, transmitting light, shielding, or decoration. Seeing as that is, companies demand glass in order to make higher quality products. Whether they are seeking for a thinner glass for a flat screen television or windows for a colossal sky scraper, glass is always in high demand. About a year ago, Pilkington North America’s flat glass industry was working hard to keep up with the high demand. At the time, vice president of the company Stephen Weidner stated that he “won’t call it a shortage, but there certainly is a very tight supply of flat glass in the north american market, both on the architectural side and the automotive side.”
When it comes to the art world, glass is also key. Glass has been used by many artists such as Carol Milne. Across the world, she is recognized for her knitted glass work for which she has won 5 prestigious awards. Another successful glass artist is Ikuta Niyoko. She is Japanese and is known for her ethereal and geometric layered sculptures. She is featured in several museums around the world, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Moreover, designers have paved the way for the creation of glass products. As glass became more popular industrial designers took the first steps to designing glass utensils and home products such as wine glasses, containers and trays.
Furthermore, glass is not only the art but the art’s protection. One of the world’s most prized possessions the Mona Lisa lays behind a thick glass compartment that allows for its safeguarding. Similarly millions of other pieces are kept secure in museums mainly through glass compartments and cabinets. Glass allows for museum visitors to see artworks, and artifacts clearly without having to touch them. Moreover, shops that have very pricey items such as jewelry stores also keep their products on display. This way they make their products visible yet they have lower chances of them getting damaged or stolen.
Despite the fact that glass can become very protective of other items it can easily transform into a weapon. Although there are objects like knives and guns that are formally known as weapons, any life threatening entity is considered a weapon as well. As previously mentioned, glass is supposed to be durable yet it can easily be broken when dropped or shoved. When glass breaks it shatters and its cracks provide sharp edges that have the ability to cut. In an article from the BBC News in the United Kingdom, Professor and Plastic Surgeon Jonathan Shepherd stated that “we need to get glass bottles off the streets where they are too often used as weapons.” It is also encouraged that pubs and clubs switch to plastic bottles in order to avoid any violent acts or accidents.
Another issue that we face when it comes to glass is the political term ‘glass ceiling’ and ‘glass jaw’. Although this term is only representative of a concept and does not involve the physical material of glass it uses its name for a particular reason. Once more, the idea that glass is the gateway to seeing other things is evident even with the word glass itself. The term glass ceiling involves the transparent barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising high in the corporate world despite their achievements and qualifications. Only a few weeks ago, an article published in the week, stated that former candidate Hillary Clinton had the most noticeable glass jaw in politics. It is mentioned that “No non-incumbent candidate since World War II has come into a primary race with bigger advantages than Clinton did.” Despite this idea mentioning the material itself, the characteristic of clarity and inertness of glass helps describe a very much existing political term.
Glass has come to be what it is today due to its qualities. It is a material that can focus solely on form, or only in function. Nonetheless one that can be used to conceptualize an idea. It allows humans to contain and protect things, yet it also allows us to see further. It is no wonder that it is material that has been around for thousands of years -for it is one that has shaped the culture of material resources. It is the one object that fulfills the task of representing things other than itself.
Bibliography
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“Civilization.ca – Glass and Glass-making in Canada – Practical Glass.” Civilization.ca – Glass and Glass-making in Canada – Practical Glass. Accessed March 01, 2016. http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/hist/verre/vepra01e.shtml.
“Demand Stresses Glass Supply.” Toledo Blade. 2016. Accessed March 01, 2016. http://www.toledoblade.com/Automotive/2015/09/27/Demand-stresses-glass-supply.html.
“30 Most Amazing Glass Artists Alive Today.” GRAPHIC DESIGN DEGREE HUB. Accessed March 01, 2016. http://www.graphicdesigndegreehub.com/30-most-amazing-glass-artists-alive-today/.
“Hillary Clinton Has the Biggest Glass Jaw in Politics.” Hillary Clinton Has the Biggest Glass Jaw in Politics. 2016. Accessed March 01, 2016. http://theweek.com/articles/599573/hillary-clinton-biggest-glass-jaw-politics.
“Official Blog of NYGlass.com – New York Glass.” Official Blog of NYGlass.com – New York Glass. Accessed March 01, 2016. http://www.nyglass.com/blogs/blog.
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