Properties of Glass was a study of the material and immaterial qualities of glass and its use in modern architecture. By positioning the shards at precise angles so that each caught a different amount of light, the sculpture demonstrated the transparent, reflective, and refractive properties of glass. I also found the inverse relationship between the material’s fragility and hazardousness particularly interesting. Since glass was most dangerous when it broke, its weakness was its strength. To convey this observation, I pointed the shards vertically to assert an intimidating presence, but also punched a hole in the middle of the bottom panel to reveal its fragility. Finally, I simulated an abstract cityscape to show the versatility of the material and the beauty of glass in architecture. The resulting piece simultaneously radiated a sense of violent explosiveness and hinted at the material’s brittleness and elegance.
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