099 – Quarz Series
Quarz Series
2010
Mouth blown and hand cut quartz crystal
Various dimensions
Produced by J. & L. Lobmeyr
Quartz sand is the main raw material for glass production.
A quartz crystal that grows in an uninhibited space will form a perfect hexagonal prism.
‘Quarz’ is a series of crystal tumblers representing perfect mathematical quartz prisms. Quarz references the shape and material from which the tumblers are made, as well as the German spelling of the mineral -’Quarz’- relating to J. & L. Lobmeyr’s Austrian roots. Each Quarz tumbler is mouth blown into the same cylindrical wooden mould then cut at three assorted heights providing variation in manufactured production. The hand cut and polished hexagonal facets allow an arrangement in a Giant’s Causeway type landscape, the fascinating geological phenomenon on the Northern Irish coast renowned for its hexagonal basalt columns. Each glass is engraved with the artist’s initials beside the J. & L. Lobmeyer sign.
The cooperation between Max Lamb and J. & L. Lobmeyr started 2009 with an installation at the J. & L. Lobmeyr main store in Vienna during Vienna Design Week. “Blowing – Cutting – Engraving” analyzed J. & L. Lobmeyr’s skilled methods of production in a poetic and didactic way. The origins of the Quarz series lie in the “cutting” part of this installation.