Glass and Light: Architectural Space as Subject Matter

1. Architectural Space as Subject Matter - The subjects of Mr. Weinstein’s sculptures are the built space. Each project begins with an in-depth analysis of the architectural space for which they are designed. This becomes the aesthetic framework around which the sculptures are built.

2. Glass and Light - All of Mr. Weinstein’s works are made of glass. The unique qualities of glass will be explored in terms of its ability to conduct light more efficiently than other materials. An appreciation for how this informs the designs will be explored.

3. Nature - The sculptures all share the aesthetic vocabulary of the natural world. He will discuss how the pieces are about identifying recurring basic forms and patterns in nature to inform the shapes of the sculptures. He will then proceed to a discussion of how nature's construction—on a fundamental level—inform the fabrication process for these large scale works. He will also discuss how harnessing the physics of nature (gravity, flow, etc.) are used as forming methodology in the works.

4. Technology - Glass is a flexible but demanding medium and the studio has developed specific technologies and methodologies for forming these sculptures. A deep appreciation for physics and engineering underlie all the works. There will be a discussion of how art drives the development of new technologies to produce the sculpture as well as how those new technologies push back and inform the aesthetic development of new works.

5. The Relationship Between Artist And Architect - A brief review of a recent project, which illustrates how successful a project can be when there is harmony between art and architecture.

Nikolas Weinstein was born in New York City in 1968. His aesthetic derives from a longstanding interest in the natural world. The influence of organic forms in his work dates to a young age, established during internships at The American Museum of Natural History and The Scripps Institution of Oceanography. He established his sculpture studio in San Francisco, California in 1991. His site-specific installations lie at the intersection of art, architecture and the natural world, leveraging new technologies to build works in glass. The sculptures respond sympathetically to the definition of architectural space, and range in scale from small and intimate to very large works.