Spotlight on Chihuly

March 30, 2024 – Late 2025

Exhibition Overview

Dale Chihuly’s boundless artistic vision has elevated the Pacific Northwest to an internationally acclaimed center for glassmaking. A native of Tacoma, Chihuly was one of the first Studio Glass artists to travel to the island of Murano, Italy to observe the secretive processes of Venetian glass factories. He was struck, not only by their technical prowess, but the importance of working as a team. These two ideas: experimentation to push the limits of glass, and the importance of collaboration, have had a lasting impact on Chihuly’s career and, subsequently, the culture of glassblowing in the Pacific Northwest.

Throughout his more-than-50-year career, Chihuly has been captivated by the interaction of glass and light, as well as the molten properties of glass that allow his sculpture to evoke a frozen moment in time. At the center of his artistic vision is an exuberant color palette, used in unending combination to emphasize form and imbue each piece with energy.

Spotlight on Chihuly celebrates Chihuly’s lively perspectives on glass by showcasing examples of some of his most recognizable series from the Museum’s Permanent Collection.