About

Charles Burnand Gallery presents Another Excuse, a solo exhibition of work by celebrated Swedish glass artist and LOEWE International Craft Prize finalist Fredrik Nielsen. The exhibition showcases Fredrik’s singular approach to glass sculpture, presenting several works that represent new directions for his practice, including hand-blown neon. The title symbolises both a ‘reason’ and an ‘excuse’ for art — taking inspiration from the past and offering creation anew.

Widely recognised for his groundbreaking work, Fredrik’s raw, abstract expressions represent a transformative direction for the medium. Fredrik’s artistry is a symphony of controlled chaos. His blown and cast glass sculptures are layered and distorted, visually capturing the kinetic energy poured into their making.

‘Fredrik’s relentlessly unconventional approach to one of the oldest forms of craft holds exciting new directions for the medium,’ says Stewart. ‘We are delighted to present works that exemplify the evolution of his own artistic language, particularly as he experiments with new, more conceptual materials such as neon light.’

Following Fredrik’s unconventional approach to glassmaking, the exhibition’s installation offers a layered and visually rich context to view the work. Within the gallery, the walls are graffitied in neon pink with Fredrik’s phone number — a personal reference that has been repeated throughout his practice. This approach is rooted in authenticity. The phone number is immediate; in a literal sense a direct line to the artist and his work. In a conceptual sense, these personal and pop culture references evolve beyond themselves into symbols, references and iconography open for interpretation.

‘My process is like that of a scientist, and my work is like an excavation,’ says Fredrik. ‘I am always searching, pushing forward towards the unknown. The individual works in this show represent several explorations that allow me to think about glass in new ways and inspire me to continue searching.’