Eliciting Plasma Illumination as a Responsive and Relational Medium within Blown Glass | Harriet Schwarzrock

Drawing on the dual etymology of plasma as both a luminous state of matter and a vascular component of blood, I create blown-glass objects that explore the boundaries between object and observer through intimate, luminous interactions within shared electromagnetic fields. Rather than the distant aurora or arcing lightning, familiar plasma phenomena, here illumination is elicited within a glass vessel, harnessing the same electromagnetic principles that once captivated early 19th-century scientific investigation.

Working at the intersection of the four states of matter (solid, liquid, gas, and plasma), my experimental studio practice combines techniques from glassblowing, neon fabrication, and scientific glasswork to produce vascular forms. These range from chambered vessels to complex tubular networks, each responding luminously to an observer's presence and touch.

The resulting objects and installations offer shifting, responsive light that brightens as observers draw close (or reach out to touch the glass), enacting a co-production between body and artwork in which otherwise invisible electromagnetic relationships become tangible and perceptible. Through this sensory encounter, I position plasma as a profoundly relational medium, capable of revealing our imperceptible interconnectedness.

The exhibition will be open on ANU Open Day, Saturday 28 March 10am - 2pm.