Simon Klenell: Coloring a Dream

Crystal evokes precision and clarity, to the extent that a common turn of phrase, "crystal clear", intuitively means something is unambiguous and easily understood. In contrast, Simon Klenell uses cut crystal, a traditional specialty of Sweden, to create work that is confoundingly unusual and mysterious. The artist’s signature technique begins with the traditional, if exaggerated, cutting of deep and bold patterns on crisp geometric shapes, this becomes the raw material for the second step; reheating the cut elements to distort and join them, often with globs of molten glass. Prodding at convention while embracing tradition is Simon’s central strategy, and in 'Coloring a Dream' he takes his task into new territory, with the addition of layers of color, obliterating what remains of traditional associations with the material and technique.