IN CONVERSATION WITH MORITZ WALDEMEYER

WonderGlass: Prometheus draws on humanity’s ancient connection to fire. Can you share your inspiration for this piece and how you approached translating that concept into light and materials?

Moritz Waldemeyer: Our collective fascination with fire is as old as mankind itself, after all it was our mastery of fire that divided us from the animal kingdom. The mastery of electricity was what set us apart from early man and digital technology is taking us into the future. Prometheus celebrates all three of these revolutions and takes them full circle, using LEDs to abstract fire on a large scale, expressing flames in cast glass, itself a product of intense heat. The piece creates a soothing atmosphere and invites visitors to relax and reflect on our journey and the history of humanity.

 

WonderGlass: Hand casted glass plays a central role in Prometheus. How does working with traditional materials influence your design process when paired with modern technology like LEDs?

Moritz Waldemeyer: The imperfection and intrinsic beauty of hand cast glass perfectly complements the animated light that can only be created with LEDs, by filtering the digital perfection and transforming it into analogue poetry.

 

WonderGlass: Your work has been exhibited in Venice, New York, and now Paris. How do these different cultural and artistic environments shape the way your installation evolves and how it is perceived?

Moritz Waldemeyer: While Venice was the natural location for the premier, as it is the birthplace of the glass tradition embodied in the piece, New York is a city that has a unique culture of appreciation for innovative art and a sense for responsibility of art patronage. Paris on the other hand offers an inspiring backdrop and surroundings for visiting artists due to its art history and architecture and tradition to host the brightest minds in the arts for centuries.

 

WonderGlass: What was the experience of collaborating with WonderGlass on Prometheus? How did their craftsmanship and expertise influence the final design?

Moritz Waldemeyer: It is one of the most satisfying experiences to work with master artisans and receive insights into their craft, tradition and history which gives rise to new ideas on how to work with the process to achieve new results.

 

WonderGlass: Your designs often push boundaries by blending art and technology. How do you see this intersection evolving in future projects?

Moritz Waldemeyer: Our process is not necessarily a linear trajectory that can be projected into the future, but one where we find inspiration both in the old and the new to achieve results that not only surprise the audience but at times also ourselves. So we hope for many more enchanting surprises in our future projects.