Jochen Holz is a glass artist whose innovative employment of lampworking, a form of glassblowing used primarily to make scientific equipment, is repurposing the technique in the design and art world. Indeed, whilst he has received training in scientific lampworking, Holz has chosen to practice it creatively, a radical departure from its traditional usage which positions him as one of the only people working in his field in the UK.
Through extensive practice, Holz has developed a distinct language in his craft. One example is his method for texturing clear glass tubes by pressing molten areas onto different surfaces such as perforated metal or wood, resulting in textured, undulating tableware. Always pushing perceived ideas of his material, Holz sees this tableware series–enriched with character, shape and history–as the antithesis of Walter Benjamin’s idea that glass is a ‘material with no aura’.
Education
2001-2003 Masters in Ceramics and Glass, Royal College of Art, London
1997-2000 Bachelors/ Honors in Glass, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh
1992-1995 Apprenticeship in scientific lampworking, Glasfachschule Hadamar, Germany
Selected Exhibitions
2020 ‘Modern Master’, HWK München, Munich
2020 ‘Collect’, Seeds Gallery, London
2020 ‘Make Space’, Hauser and Wirth, Somerset
2019 Design Miami/ 2018, The Future Perfect, Miami, Florida
2019 Showcase at Wolfson College, Oxford
2019 ‘Masters of Disguise’, Seeds Gallery, London
2019 ‘Superficies’, Flow Gallery, London
2019 ‘New Glass’, 25 Year Anniversary Show, Corning Museum, New York
2018 Design Miami/ 2018, The Future Perfect, Miami, Florida
2018 ‘Collect’ Saatchi Gallery with See-ds Gallery, London
2018 ‘The House Electric’, A Plus A Gallery, Venice
2018. ‘A Future Heritage’, Decorex, London
2017 Peter Pilotto: ‘Town house takeover’, London Design Festival, London
2017 ‘Tresor’ Contemporary Craft Fair, Basel
2017 ‘The Breakfast Pavillion’, A plus A Gallery and Studio M-L-XL, Venice
2017 ‘Nomad Monaco’, Cumuliform Neon installation, Monaco
2017 Peter Pilotto, Jewellery for Fashion show AW17, February 2017
2017 ‘Meta: Levels of Language, Strata of Matter’, Galleria Salvatore Lanteri, Milan
2017 ‘Domestic Appeal’, Chamber Gallery, New York
2017 Supports-Surface’, See-ds, London
2016 ‘Handicraft: Traditional Skills in the Digital Age’, MAK, Vienna
2016 Show Collaboration with Tiago Almeida at Momosan, London
2016 ‘Ready Made Go’, Ace Hotel, London
2016 ‘Just what is it’ , Chamber Gallery, New York
2016 Decorex with the New Craftsmen, London
2016 ‘Martino Gamper and Friends’, See-ds, London
2016 ‘The Future Lab’ Showcase at Basel and Miami
2016 ‘Guts’ Jochen Holz and Richard Wheater, Neon Workshop, Wakefield
2015 ‘Many a Slip’, Marsden Woo Summer Show, London
2014 ‘Atemporaneo’, Apalazzo Art Gallery, Brescia
2014 ‘Robo Glass’ Taipei University, Taiwan
Honors
2018 Winner of ‘Arts Foundation’ Prize
2015 Winner of commission competition ‘Guild of the Master Glass Sellers’
2004 Shortlisted for Bombay Sapphire Award
2003 Winner of Centre Prize Award
2000 RSA Bursary Award 6 month placement at Dartington Crystal
Publications
2018 Hole and Corner, May
2018 Crafts Magazine, March/April
2017 Brutus, June
2017 Novembre Magazine, Issue 11
2016 New York Times T-Magazine, September issue