STARMAN: Bertil Vallien Sixty Years of Exploring Glass Art

STARMAN: Sixty Years of Exploring Glass Art, a survey show celebrating the artistic partnership between renowned glass sculptor Bertil Vallien and Kosta Boda

The exhibition will be on view in New York at the Robert Lehman Gallery at UrbanGlass from April 3 – May 3, 2026.

At 88, Vallien is a legend and one of the most celebrated glass artists in the world. He perfected the modern method of glass sand-casting, a process where molten glass is poured into a firm sand mold and a modern adaptation of ancient Chinese metal casting techniques dating back to 2000 BCE.

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The presentation represents his dynamic practice featuring 35 works exploring Vallien’s career-spanning motifs:

• The Resting Heads represent introspection and depict emotive faces encased in egg-shaped glass forms.
• The iconic Ships conjure the powerful image of Norse ships and function as metaphors for memory and the unknown.
• Two Faces reflect Vallien’s enduring interest in duality, identity, and the human condition.
• ldun’s Magical Apples are inspired by Sweden’s national fruit as well as a symbol of the cycle of life. ldun was the Goddess of Spring who guarded magical apples that granted eternal youth.
• Finally, the artist will unveil a new, never-before-seen Black Glass sculpture, marking a return to his signature technique.

During his six-decade tenure with Kosta Boda, the sculptor has transcended material limitations, pioneered new glassworking techniques, and created exceedingly popular commercial glass collections. The exhibition’s title also pays homage to David Bowie, one of the musicians who inspires Vallien’s storytelling, and another mythmaker whose unconventional sensibility weaves and tells dark fairy tales.

Vallien has been instrumental to the development of the medium and continues to have a profound effect on generations of artists. We hope to see you at the exhibition.

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Titled Starman, the exhibition will be on view April 3 – May 3 at UrbanGlass in the Robert Lehman Gallery, New York and will feature a collection of entirely unique works that have never been publicly shown before.