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Bending glass with the first art-glass studio in Mumbai

  • Art
Jan 20, 2023
The Rural Modern Glass Studio

The Rural Modern Glass Studio brings world-class glassblowing capabilities within reach of designers and artists

It takes a balance of force and gentleness to bend glass to your will. Working alongside a 1,200-degree Celsius furnace, manoeuvring a blow pipe that’s at least five feet long—arm strength, level of concentration and lung power must all align to enable the design of your imagination to be rendered as glassy reality. It doesn’t always happen. Then, you must start all over again. 

At the Mumbai-based art glass studio Rural Modern, broken ambition and glass are just a part of daily life. This is one of the few glass art studios that exist in India, and certainly the first in Mumbai. Founded by architect and lighting designer Arjun Rathi and glass artist Ismail Plumber in 2021, this 2,200 sq. ft space is a great way to acquaint yourself with this difficult artform. As Plumber puts it: “This is an unforgiving art medium, so not many people want to pursue it. But that’s also why those who work with it are so passionate about it.” The duo hope that they can expand interest in glassmaking through Rural Modern, which they set up after facing supply chain issues during the global pandemic. Rathi says, “Before, we were dependent on imports, mainly from Europe, and the cost of logistics shot up during the lockdown,” says Rathi. “That’s why we thought we should set up in India. We import the raw material from Europe and get international artists to train and upskill Indian artists to produce complex glass works.” 

Staffs at Rural Modern

The staff is trained to assist artists and designers who work with glass as their medium.

THE MAKING OF…

The Studio uses an international formula to make good quality clear glass, which is the starting point of the glassmaking process. Glass begets glass—if you will. This glass, the raw material, is heated to several thousand degrees in the furnace till it melts. Then a blowpipe is inserted and the thick liquid-like molten glass is curled and gathered around the end. In this malleable form, the glass is blown and shaped. If it cools down before it can be shaped as desired, then it is placed in a reheating furnace called ‘the glory hole’ where it is heated till it is malleable again. For adding colour, this hot glass is dipped in powdered colour glass so that the colours meld into it. As soon as the glass forms the shape the glassworker is looking for, it is separated from the blowpipe by tapping its neck ever so gently with a pair of steel tweezers. Tap too hard and all that work will be for nothing. “There is a lot of physics in the making of glass. Many actions are done to keep it going, but glass has a memory of its own. One wrong step and it will scar,” says Plumber. The whole process takes the synchronised movement of two people.

Glass art studio Rural Modern in Mumbai, founded by architect Arjun Rathi and glass artist Ismail Plumber, is one of few in India and the first in Mumbai. The 2,200 sq. ft space teaches the difficult and unforgiving art of glass blowing, with a focus on training Indian artists to produce complex works. The studio was established to address supply chain issues during the pandemic and import raw materials from Europe. As Plumber puts it, “This is an unforgiving art medium, so not many people want to pursue it. But that’s also why those who work with it are so passionate about it.” The duo hopes to expand interest in glassmaking through Rural Modern.

 

The country’s centre for glassmaking is Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh where the glassmaking industry is centuries’ old. Rural Modern is more of a boutique operation which offers designers the space, time and creative support to produce more complicated sculptural products. The Studio produces custom works for designers and its staff is trained to assist artists and designers who work with glass as their medium. The Studio also offers a popular workshop series for amateurs to pick up this delicate artform. 

Arjun Rathi with Ismail Plumber

The studio was founded in 2021 by architect and lighting designer Arjun Rathi and glass artist Ismail Plumber.

Custom glass works

The Studio produces custom works for designers.

Good quality clear glass

Good quality clear glass is the starting point of the glassmaking process.

Providing space, time and support to designers

Rural Modern offers designers the space, time and creative support to produce complicated sculptural products.

Complex glass works

Rural Modern, was set up after facing supply chain issues during the global pandemic.

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