Client: Gerhard Knoblauch
Location: Herrmannsacker, Germany
Completion date: 2017
Artwork budget: $20,000
Project Team
Client
Gerhard Knoblauch
Artist
John Kenneth Clark
Industry Resource
Derix Glasstudios
Derix Glastudios
Overview
This was to be a jewel like work for this church in former East Germany. They are etched and painted Lamberts flashed glass. The individual pieces have been bonded to an ESG glass and installed in a steel frame. 1@ 43cm x 150cm, 2@ 37cm x 120cm
Goals
I was originally asked in 2009 to create designs for this series of three small windows. The church had been completely neglected during the DDR time in Germany and these openings had been concealed. Following German reunification there grew an interest in restoring this building. Following the restoration of the tower the Architect, Herr Friedrich, had the idea to use the windows to act as a beacon of hope and I worked with him and the church committee to create a series of design options. One was selected. Sadly, the funding never became available. In late 2016, I was asked if I could proceed with the windows. They were completed in May 2016. The restoration of the church is ongoing. The windows were dedicated on Pentecost Sunday 2017.
Process
The process of selecting the final design for the various alternatives that I had presented followed a meeting with the advisory committee for the church. One of the alternatives was selected. Years later I worked with the Derix Glastudios in Germany to create the works. The studio took templates of the very irregular openings and cut and prepared the backing glass. I provided the studio with a tracing of the glass pieces required. The studio cut and prepared the flashed glass. then painted on he acid resist and carried out the multi layered acid etching. Subsequently the glass painting and firing. The studio then ground the pieces to create a close fit between the individual glass sections and bonded them to the ESG glass. The studio then installed the windows in newly made steel frames.
Additional Information
In many ways designing and creating for a small intimate space is more difficult than making fir a large opening or something viewed from a distance. These works can be seen from a distance of 30 meters, But can also be seen close up. Therefore it is essential that the glass etching and painting have a beauty even on close inspection.