International Glass53 to open May 3 at Habatat Galleries

ROYAL OAK — The annual and internationally recognized glass art show is back for the 53rd year at Habatat Galleries, 4400 Fernlee Ave. in Royal Oak.

Glass53, featuring some of the finest glass artists in the world, will be opening May 3. The show includes 400 examples of studio glass art and will have the artists in attendance to speak about their pieces.

The May 3 Glass 53 Opening Night Gala will run from 8 to 10 p.m. and will include live glass blowing demonstrations by Michigan glass artist Andrew Madvin. The demonstrations will be taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Axiom Studio, 4706 Delemere Road, down the block from Habatat.

“It’s going to be an overall great experience for art and the Detroit community,” said Aaron Schey, vice president of Habatat Galleries. “We are approaching this exhibition as an experience. We are trying to get people to come and experience the glass. Many are here for the first time and get their socks shot off, and other longtime fans have been coming back for decades.”

The Glass53 event will include two special exhibitions that will be new to the show.

“One is an artist named Robert Mickelsen, and he’s well known in the functional glass community. What that means is the pipe world of people who make elaborate pipes,” Schey said. “He’s not making pipes, but he’s using a program called Blender to build his work virtually and then create the designs physically with his talent and make the work in the real world.”

Mickelsen will have 12 different pieces on display showcasing different topics.

The second special exhibition is a precursor for a show coming up later in the year by an artist named Lino Tagliapietra.

“Lino is known throughout the world. We are going to have a very special presentation by him, probably at least eight to 10 works on display,” Schey said. “It’s something you must see. We’re going to do another show later on with him with more pieces, but we wanted to get a taste for this exhibition.”

Michigan artist Herb Babcock will be showing his pieces at Glass53. Babcock said he has witnessed the beginning of Habatat and growth since its opening in 1971.

“What’s unique about Habatat is that initially they were a wide variety of material, ceramics, prints, photography, painting as well as glass,” Babcock said. “But they realized sort of the energy that was being put into glass, not only locally, but on a national level, so they started promoting glass more specifically.”

Babcock said that Habatat started these glass shows early on, and since then it has grown into a world-renowned glass gallery.

“They kept growing to the point where they were the premier event happening in the United States. It’s one of the largest showings of international glass that happens every year,” he said. “The international (Glass53) is not only about the technique itself, it’s about what is being done with the technique in terms of fine art expression.”

Babcock aims to create work that speaks to the viewer in a way that is almost emotional, in a way that the viewer can make a connection to his art.

“In my sculptures, it is that harmonic balance of yes, you’re standing in front of the sculpture, and it’s an object, but all of a sudden, the gestures I put into it, the way it holds the light, the way it moves through space, it makes you reconcile that you are a human being here now and in reality, that is a success of any masterpiece,” he said.

Babcock creates his pieces using glass infused with metal or stone.

Schey said that the show is always a way for him to see people connect with the art, artists and community.

“We want people to feel that art is important in our community and beyond. It’s something you should experience every day should you choose,” Schey said. “When someone buys a piece of art, they’re not only spending their money, they’re spending their time and their space. Every piece that you acquire is a part of you, and the work lives with the client who buys it longer than the artist that made it. So it becomes a part of their story, which is kind of exciting.”

The Glass53 exhibition will continue on after the opening night throughout August. Habitat Galleries is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.

For more information on Habatat and the Glass53 event, visit habatat.com.