
'Stig Persson works with a stricly abstract constructivist and minimalist expression in his glass works, which occasionally contains reminiscences of identifiable surroundings. The experience af the individual work rests on repetition, i.e. repeated shapes of circles, squares, rectangles, or cylinders. Whether the shapes are made flat or plastically cast, they are always defined within a strictly geometric framework af constellations of these basic shapes, often placed inside one another.
All surfaces are matt conveying a feeling of gravity which, in reality, is true of each form, and the figures are vaguely translucent. The glass material is slightly heterogeneous with small bubbles an irregularities.
​
In the series, Stacked, containing cylinders in various sizes made of solid glass are placed on metal rails. The number, colour and size of the cylinders vary, effectively creating a sense of movement from block to block. A sence of tension builds up on the assumption that the removal of one cylinder would cause the rest to roll on, at once making control highly uncontrollable. In this way, the expectation of movements is captured in an otherwise utterly static construction, and these works come close to a kind of kinetic art.'
​​
Ulla Houkjær, Curator, Design Museum Denmark​​​

Neues Glas - New Glass: Art & Architecture 04 / 2024: Uta M Klotz & Petra Reategui
THE GEOMETRY OF STIG PERSSON
The strictly minimalist forms are striking. Cylinders, discs, rectangles, bowls. In ever new variations. Clear, structured, compelling. Danish design at its best. Is that the case? The Copenhagen glass artist Stig Persson talks about his work, what he thinks, feels, and wishes…
It all started with my keen interest in jewellery design. As it was difficult to find an apprenticeship with a goldsmith, I applied to the ceramics programme at the Royal Danish Academy - Architecture, Design, Conservation in Copenhagen. It suited me well, but it was difficult to get the ceramics to work the way I wanted. One day I met another student who was releasing a glass piece from the plaster mould she had just taken off the kiln. I immediately fell in love with glass, with its transparency and the colours which resembled the ocean‘s sea-green colours when the wind blows. So, I changed the discipline and continued in glass, specializing in kiln-cast glass. It is by far the longest lasting love and fascination in my life, and I have never regretted my choice.
I‘m particularly excited about the transparency and light in glass. It reminds me of having found a piece of glass that had washed up on the beach having been in the water maybe for years. When such pieces dry, the surface becomes matte and semi-transparent, regardless of colour. To get the same matte effect in a glasswork, the glass needs to be roughened, as the sand has done constantly in the sea. I have experimented with different surface treatments such as beeswax, oils and epoxy coating to maintain the ‘wet’ yet matte surface.
I haven‘t had any role models in the glass world, although I have been fascinated by the Swedish glass artist Bertil Vallien because of his sandcast works in large formats. I am also a fan of Mark Rothko’s abstract compositions, the colours, and the balance and luminosity of his paintings. John Chamberlain strikes me with his large sculptures of compressed car parts. They radiate chaos and destruction and at the same time calm and precise in repetition. And last but not least, I like Bruce Springsteen.
If I had been born earlier, I would most likely have applied for admission to the Bauhaus school. With its principle of ‘less is more’, its idea of clean lines, primary colours and geometric shapes, I would probably have felt very much at home in that school. I was very proud to be mentioned in Denmark‘s 'Dansk designhistorie', published in November 2023. It says that my work is clearly reminiscent of Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Bauhaus and Art Deco. It‘s not conscious on my part, but I‘ve been asked several times if Bauhaus has been a source of inspiration. In fact, I seem to need to work with the strict, geometric shapes to frame and control turmoil and create calm. Geometry is order, repetition, meditative, the golden ratio, nature, maths, proportion and perspective.
There‘s a surprising amount of maths involved in working with kiln-cast cast glass, calculating the ratio of moulds, weight and quantity of glass. Glass needs to cool down slowly and therefore spends twelve to fifteen days in the kiln, depending on the size of the works. I really find it fun to geek out on the calculations.
​
But there is still another factor. As a Dane, I grew up in a country that is surrounded by sea. The sea is wild and violent and at the same time extremely soothing. It has a myriad of colours and colour combinations, depending on the weather and seasons. Probably for that reason, the most colours in my work are from the ocean colour scale.
Colours are important in my work to capture a mood or expression. But I‘m not conscious of that when I choose the colours. It occurs during the process of creating a piece. For me personally, my favourite has always been orange – it‘s energetic, happy, sunny, cheeky and fresh. But when it comes to glass, I choose mainly the blues and greens of the sea, which I never get tired of.

​There is no conscious spiritual motive or motivation in my work, but the meditative aspect is probably pervasive in my work. I create for my own sake, and it‘s the process of ‘searching’ which is stimulating for me. I do what I need to do to calm my troubled brain, to find peace in turmoil, light in darkness, to breathe. The slow process of working with kiln-cast glass also forces me to slow down – and that‘s probably the mood I want to convey. But in general, I believe that works should be seen and experienced, not explained. No two people will have the same experience when they look at the same piece of art. And that‘s really the beauty of art.
Apropos beauty. It is for me first and foremost about aesthetics and proportions, but it can also be a unique detail in a woman like the ear, a dimple, the voice. But in my eyes, there is also beauty in ‘ugliness’, like when a flower breaks through the asphalt or when concrete cracks. The imperfect, the unpolished. In other words, beauty is something contradictory. Just like glass, it seems solid but in reality it’s quite fragile.
I wish I could make a positive contribution to a better world with my work. I know, saying this, it sounds like a cliché. But when the world gets too noisy, people need a break, a space where there is peace, light – and time and opportunity for reflection. I would like to contribute to this with my works. What else is important for me? Listening to classical jazz music and concentrating completely at the beginning of a new work. After some time, there may be a point of isolation that can become paralyzing, and that‘s when I must get out of the bubble. Perhaps taking my bike then which is my favourite means of transport in Copenhagen. It gives me the ultimate feeling of freedom and lightness when I feel the wind in my face and let my thoughts fly.
Of course, I also would still like to see more of the world through glass, both to showcase my glass and meet other artists. Last year, for example, I participated among others in the Larnaca Biennale in Cyprus, where I received the Artist of the World Award. It was a wonderful and unexpected recognition on top of the joy of being selected. But on the other hand, I‘m probably a comfort junkie who thrives best in my home and studio in the familiar surroundings of Christianshavn in Copenhagen. I‘ve lived and worked here for thirty years, where I know every corner, building and neighbour in the area. I‘m reminded that there is peace in the storm after all.
-
His sculptures are initially created as sketches, after which a prototype is built in EPS.
-
He then creates the mold from a special casting mix called HydroCast. Each mold can only be used once. The mold is created on the EPS to preserve the textured surface. The actual firing of the glass elements lasts 12-13 days in the glass kiln.
-
The elements are finished, trimmed and polished, to be assembled into the final work.
-
It is a slow process, which is why it is not possible to create more than a few works per month.
-
Wood and iron elements are handcrafted and made from recycled materials.



WORKING PROCESS