Nejat Kavvas

With the meticulous method, precision and patience of a scientist Kavvas explores and pursues the impossibilities of glass in order to find the possibilities.  His sculptures are not only a revelation of his extensive knowledge of chemistry but also the culmination of his life’s work as a chemist, inventor, entrepreneur, businessman, and designer. Though he cast his first piece of glass in 2008 his understanding of and attraction to this amazing vitreous substance reaches back over several decades.  Born in Turkey, his interests in art, art history and archaeology were quite natural.  Even before receiving a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree he had begun to collect examples of ancient glass.  His education in pharmacy gave him the chemistry training which led him to a career in the commercial glass industry making and inventing materials to enhance the surface of glass.  From there he began importing European glass into New Zealand.  His extensive knowledge of chemistry, design and his interest in art came together at a glass casting course in Auckland, New Zealand. Since then Kavvas’ pursuit of glass has led him around the world.  He studied first at the Artstation in Auckland, New Zealand, then the Pilchuck School of Glass in Seattle, Washington, then at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, and the Glass Furnace School in Istanbul, Turkey then at Stipglass in the Netherlands.  He was a finalist for the Ranamok Glass Prize in 2009, finalist in Molly Morpeth Canaday 3D Awards and was the recipient of a solo exhibition at Flagstaff Gallery titled “Glassification” in 2010.  Kavvas’ sculptures are four dimensional objects that tell a four dimensional story.  The three dimensional object itself tells a literal story of the experimentation and knowledge required to make the actual object.  The fourth dimension which is beyond the objects form, consists of it’s interior depth and color. This extra dimension tells a specific and personal story of the scientist, the man, the artist.  As Nejat Kavvas says himself “Artist are raconteurs of their society and of their epoch.  Their language is the material they use.  My language is ethereal glass; and I prefer this medium to tell my story”.