Pete Farrugia enters the multifaceted world of Britain’s glass sculpture scene, speaking with artist Kane Cali about his work for Malta Design Week.
Glass artist Kane Cali negotiates his time between teaching commitments at UCA Farnham, and making a name for himself as an innovative new voice on the UK art scene. Using cutting edge technology to realise his sculptures, Cali is exploring novel ways of translating his vision across mediums, to an eager audience.
Cali was invited to work with one of his tutors – with a first job making 750 glass stalactites for a museum in Germany
“I started off in 3D character animation but realised I was spending too much time on the computer,” says Cali. “It was a big risk changing direction but I now feel a lot more accomplished.”
Talking about his work, Cali lays out a plan for the future.
“I’m interested in introducing new technologies to the medium. Granted, they’re not exactly new, they’ve been around since the seventies. But the innovative bit is all part of the application.”
Now at work on his Masters (transforming flat panes into organic glass shapes) Cali is confident in his work and justifiably so.
“Maltese students tend to fall at the top of the class,” he says with a smile, when the topic of studying abroad comes up. After finishing his degree, Cali was invited to work with one of his tutors – with a first job making 750 glass stalactites for a museum in Germany. Cali’s not caved under the pressure of life as a full-time artist, but living in England brings some different anxieties .
“The way we view life in Malta is so different. People, especially in London, don’t seem to get the chance to live. They’re constantly drained. Here you have the time to live, there it’s all about money.
“The most important thing when living in England is to make your home a sanctuary, somewhere comfortable to unwind,” Cali laughs. “After spending too much time in London you start to feel transparent.”
However, that claustrophobic feeling isn’t limited to London’s busy streets. The art world in Britain is a surprisingly small circle and networking is a massive part of what he does. Cast glass is always going to be expensive and finding a market for his work has been a precarious business.
Cali is currently in talks with Harrods, and has several shows and openings planned soon.
“The UK Arts Council is half the size it used to be and the government is cutting down on funding,” says Cali. This will inevitably have a deleterious effect on the creative industry and the opportunities afforded to upcoming artists.
“But the UK is still very innovative. Definitely unique in the world.”
In creating his Ripple Landscape, Cali used modelling software to sketch out ideas then translated the concept into a physical object. He follows up with more traditional techniques (mould making, glass fusing/slumping and casting) to complete the work.
“I’m interested in creating an elemental basis of ripples, waves, oceans, integrating science and art, exploring a grander scheme of things. Vibrations are important, the ripples of a landscape. The origin of everything, the beauty of basic geometry.
“I’m showing a small piece at Malta Design Week, two small columns in blue and purple called Brother and Sister. Being part of this is a good step towards re-establishing myself here. It’s strange feeling like a tourist in your own country.”
Asked about plans to eventually return, Cali considers his options. “It’s possible to produce this work in Malta, it’s not impossible to find the resources. But one of the best things I’ve found working at university is the community of highly specialised people. It’s all a language really,” he says.
Cali has nothing but good things to say about recent developments at MCAST (which he attended before going abroad) and he thinks Design Week will go some way towards presenting the public with a new vision of glass.
“There’s not much casting here, it’s more about traditional blown glass. Blown glass is more limited, it’s always going to have that 360 degree look while cast glass can be anything.”
Ultimately, Cali defines his current aesthetic as focused on the perfect model realisable in a machine-made product, but hand-finished and individualised by the artist himself.
Ideas for the future include branching out into his own line of dinnerware, furniture and exploring the possibilities of glass in architecture.
“Remember, glass artists don’t like people touching the work,” says Cali. “Smudges and scratches are our worst nightmare!”
Cali’s work will be presented at Malta Design Week (October 1 to 8), with a solo exhibition at Christine X Gallery in Tigné from December 9 to 20.