As early as 1967, Chihuly was using neon, argon, and blown glass forms to create room-sized installations. Although his work ranges from single vessels inspired by organic forms to monumental chandeliers with dozens of curling glass arms, he is best known for his multipart blown compositions.
Featured in many of his most dramatic installations—like the sunset-toned Monarch Window (1994) in Union Station, Washington, or the nine-metre-long pendant of intricate blue-green Temperate House Persians (2019), installed in London’s Royal Botanic Gardens—Chihuly’s dynamic, asymmetrical Persians stand out as explorations of form, shape, and colour, while his deceptively simple Cylinders exemplify his commitment to consistently refining his technique.
Using his revolutionary ‘pick-up drawing’ technique—which involves pulling glass threads, laying them out in intricate designs, and rolling molten glass over them—Chihuly has created an ever-evolving range of Cylinders that have allowed him to integrate a wide range of motifs. These include patterns inspired by Native American textiles, evident in his early Navajo Blanket Cylinders (1979).
Chihuly’s works are united by an emphasis on light; colour; flowing, curvilinear forms; and their captivating, otherworldly quality. He employs an expansive interdisciplinary team that includes glassblowers, painting assistants, carpenters, and metal fabricators to help him achieve these works, as the artist has been unable to blow glass himself since 1979 when he dislocated his right shoulder while bodysurfing.
