http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2009/05/21/mark-peisers-unveils-multi-layered-new-work-exploring-negative-space/ Making sense of sculpture and installations made from glass Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:10:47 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://blog.glassquarterly.com/2009/05/21/mark-peisers-unveils-multi-layered-new-work-exploring-negative-space/#comment-766 3 Questions for … Mark Peiser « The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:43:12 +0000 http://glassquarterly.wordpress.com/?p=46#comment-766 [...] The “Palomar” series was inspired by the accomplishment of the 200-inch diameter 18-ton glass mirror cast in the 1930’s to complete the Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory. The astronomers wanted it to measure the speed of light and verify Einstein’s theories. Production of the mirror was considered “a vast experiment” as it was a project of completely unprecedented scale and difficulty. Corning Glassworks won the contract for casting it after all the lensmakers in the world had failed. Eventually the challenge was met and its entire surface shaped and polished by hand and to eye an accuracy of 2-millionths of an inch. It is probably the most carefully and thoroughly touched piece of glass in existence. It fulfilled the aspirations of all its creators as did the finished telescope, which is a triumph and icon of the mechanical age and is known as the “perfect machine.” But making the mirror took two tries. [...] [...] The “Palomar” series was inspired by the accomplishment of the 200-inch diameter 18-ton glass mirror cast in the 1930’s to complete the Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory. The astronomers wanted it to measure the speed of light and verify Einstein’s theories. Production of the mirror was considered “a vast experiment” as it was a project of completely unprecedented scale and difficulty. Corning Glassworks won the contract for casting it after all the lensmakers in the world had failed. Eventually the challenge was met and its entire surface shaped and polished by hand and to eye an accuracy of 2-millionths of an inch. It is probably the most carefully and thoroughly touched piece of glass in existence. It fulfilled the aspirations of all its creators as did the finished telescope, which is a triumph and icon of the mechanical age and is known as the “perfect machine.” But making the mirror took two tries. [...]

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