I am sure you’ve all seen the huge glass chandelier hanging over the main entrance foyer to the Victoria and Albert museum, for you are the sort of people who visit places like that.
However, the artist who designed that gargantuan cornucopia of glass has unsurprisingly made more than just one glassy object, and there is an exhibition of its work in a gallery on Bond Street.
According to the marketing blurb, Dale Chihuly has been “transforming the New Bond Street gallery space with his distinctive hand-blown glass sculptures”.
Basically, it’s a building full of lots of glassworks, and some paintings.
Some huge glassworks that are evidently destined for office receptions, and some huge, but at least just about domestic sized bowls, that do very well when backlit.
A massive dining table oddly reminded me of the glass bottomed boats that ply the islands between tropical seas so that tourists can see the exotically coloured corals below.
Unlike some galleries where the venue is closer to a hushed monastery with acolytes of art permitted within, here was a venue that has displayed the objects, then people seemed to wander around snapping away photos and pointing at things at will.
A refreshing lack of wanky art speak next to the objects — just eye watering price tags — helped to make this an enjoyable visit.
The exhibition is in the Halcyon Gallery until the 5th April. Entry is free, and the venue is open 7 days a week.
Should you find yourself in Seatle, there is an exhibition of Chihuly’s work next to the Space Needle (and right by the rather good science museum).