Biot international glass festival
A unique experience! Come and discover the creations of French and international master glassmakers during the BIG, the Biot International Glass festival. The festival includes exhibitions, an art market, open-air glass blowing, public events, film screenings, conferences, workshop visits and demonstrations. An exceptional program and world-renowned artists who share their passion and the mystery of this mesmerizing field!
Biot, a centre of glass creation and holder of the “Ville et Métiers d’Arts” label for glass, has created in 2018 a new international event around glass work. Biot became a privileged stage for glassmaking thanks to the creative impulse of Eloi Monod, founder of the bubble glass technique, followed by the Lechaczynski family, who took the Verrerie de Biot glassworks on a turn towards contemporary creation with the international glass gallery. The City of Biot has never stopped promoting glass in all its forms along with the creativity of its renowned artists and glassmakers. But Biot was missing a major event to pay tribute to glass and its creators. The City of Biot, in collaboration with local glassmakers and with the financial support of BIVA, wished to welcome creators, artists, artisans, and students of glass to celebrate glass as it deserves.
This festival allows the general public to discover the richness and variety of the international creations of glass artisans and artists. This unique event’s ambitious goals are to bring together glass-making professionals and allow them to exchange, share, and demonstrate this art of fire in its spectacular, aerial diversity. The interactive setting will give them opportunities to explain their techniques, to involve visitors in fun and educational workshops, and to show the beauty of the art through original artistic performances and unique creations !
In 2018 this event’s ambassadors were 3 guests of honour: Gérald Vatrin, Gabriel Feenan, and Richard Price, who exhibited their work alongside 8 other talented artists in the heart of the magnificent village of Biot.
Gérald Vatrin
Gérald Vatrin combines practical know-how and a deep knowledge of art history. Glass is his main means of expression: he enhances it through engravings, pigments, and transparency effects. His vibrant and delicate work, inspired by the forms of nature and cultural combining, strives to be both emotional and aesthetic. Each work of art opens a world of visual and tactile sensations.
Richard Price
British artist Richard Price divides his time between the Netherlands and Thailand. He draws his artistic inspiration from the natural vitality observed in animals and humans. His art is often characterized by extravagant and colorful ornaments, referring to hairstyles and clothes that prevail in Thai culture.
"We live in beautiful cages built by us to give the illusion of freedom, which we enter willingly." Richard Price.
Gabe Feenan
The work of American artist Gabe (Gabriel) Feenan focuses on three simple forms - the sphere, the cone and the cylinder. He is interested in how glass folds, flows and filters light. His work is based on mastery and pure technique, emphasizing the importance of the talented hands of artists in contrast with a mechanical world. His latest work explores the optical qualities of glass through technically difficult compositions. Lacey lace patterns soften the bold geometry and contrast with the rigidity of the forms.