“Narcissus Quagliata: Archetypes and Visions in Light and Glass” will premiere at Forest Lawn Museum on October 23, 2024. This is the first retrospective exhibition devoted to an artist who is among the most influential figures in art glass from the past 50 years. From technical advances in glass fusing, to radical stylistic innovations, Narcissus Quagliata has redefined what it means to be a glass artist. He has been instrumental in moving stained glass beyond ecclesiastical and domestic settings and into the realms of public art and avant-garde studio practices for contemporary fine art.
The exhibition will feature artworks that span more than five decades, including fused glass work from the “Mediterranean Treasures” series, large-scale watercolors, and more. Works of art from his “Locked Out” series, which directly addresses issues of homelessness, are also featured in the exhibition. “Locked Out” humanizes the plight of people experiencing homelessness and individuals on the margins of society. The series is a continuation of the work he began in with Porca Miseria!/Damned Misery! (1987), which is on loan from the Oakland Museum of California for the exhibition.
In 2022 Forest Lawn Museum acquired Quagliata’s 50 ft. x 12 ft. leaded and blown glass mural of the cosmos. The artwork depicts an explosion of light and color in a scene that resembles a view of distant galaxies. Created in 1985 for the Pacific Bell Building in Oakland, the window was at risk of being destroyed prior to its removal in late 2021. Major portions of the mural will be featured in the exhibition.
Forest Lawn Museum will also reveal several Medieval and Renaissance stained glass windows built into the museum walls, which have not been on display for several years. The windows include one designed by Albrecht Dürer, the renowned German Renaissance artist. All of the windows in this group were created between the twelfth and sixteenth centuries in France and Germany, then purchased from the William Randolph Hearst Collection in the 1950s.
The opening reception for “Narcissus Quagliata: Archetypes and Visions in Light and Glass” will occur on October 23, 2024 from 5 PM-7:30 PM. To RSVP, email museum@forestlawn.com. The exhibition is open through March 9, 2025.
Hours and Directions: Forest Lawn Museum is open Tues-Sun, 10 AM-5 PM. The museum address is 1712 S. Glendale Ave, Glendale, CA 91205. Enter the main gate and proceed up the hill. Follow signs to the museum, which is located at the top of the hill. Admission and parking are free.
“Narcissus Quagliata: Archetypes and Visions in Light and Glass” is curated by James Fishburne, PhD, Director of Forest Lawn Museum, and is organized in collaboration with the artist. Special thanks to Judson Studios, a community partner of Forest Lawn Museum. Judson Studios has been working with Forest Lawn for over 100 years.
Narcissus Quagliata, Self Portrait, 1986, leaded and blown glass, 60 x 71 in. Courtesy of the artist.
Narcissus Quagliata, The Vanishing Boxer, 2011, stained glass with fused glass inserts, 42 x 53 in. Courtesy of the artist.