John Moran

Fusing pop and politics

• John is a hot glass sculptor and mixed media artist
• His work usually has a socio-political edge
• He founded a studio in Belgium after moving there from the USA

John Moran is a figurative and realistic sculptor making critical and allegorical work from molten glass and mixed media. His creations tend to express a socio-political message, commenting on themes such as social injustice, consumerism and religion. They also contain many playful references. “My work is PopPolitical,” explains John. “I make art that falls into the realm of pop culture, politics, society, material and craftsmanship.” He is originally from Philadelphia in the United States, but has been living and working in the Belgian city of Ghent since 2013. John founded the studio Gent Glas in his adopted hometown. “When I moved to Belgium, I quickly noticed that there was no place to create my work and little to no glass community. So I started a studio myself.”

Interview

©John Moran

©John Moran

What is it that drew you to this craft?

The community of this craft is incredibly supportive and it is a medium where we continuously have the opportunity to break free of tradition and history, to discover new techniques and processes.

Can you tell us more about this innovative spirit?

Figurative sculpture is one of the oldest forms of art, but using glass in combination with mixed media is a completely innovative approach. In spite of its millennia of history, many of the techniques we use to sculpt figuratively and realistically in glass have only been around for three or four decades.

What is the most memorable moment of your career until now?

Probably the most memorable moment in my professional life to date was my participation in the Netflix competition Blown Away Season 3. You can watch the TV show on Netflix. The people I met, combined with the overall creative experience, made this a life-changing undertaking.

Would you say that your craft is in danger at the moment?

In some ways, yes. High energy prices combined with unstable sales have endangered the craft, especially in Europe. The glass craft is flourishing in the United States, Australia, and China, but is suffering in Europe.

John Moran is a master artisan: he began his career in 1998 and he started teaching in 2000

Works

©John Moran

©John Moran

©John Moran

©John Moran

©John Moran

Where