Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson

Since studying together at the Royal College of Art, Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson have worked together successfully on a number of commissions and personal projects. They have a common aesthetic and artistic interest in the tension between chaos and order, fragility and strength, internal structure and external form. Their collaborations, ‘Panicum,’ ‘Penumbra,’ ‘Ore,’ ‘Ore Genesis’ and ‘Temptation’ have provided an opportunity for them to crystallise these themes through a series of large scale, elegant, blown glass pieces that combine their strengths and common interests as artists and makers. This collaboration has been enriched through joint artistic residencies at the Museum of Glass in Tacoma and the Glazenhuis Museum in Belgium. Their works have been exhibited internationally and are held in museum collections in the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and the USA.

Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson, Future Heritage 2015 Alumni

The duo are intrigued by how they can create intricate, internal fragile structures inside a blown glass object that contradict the calm, smooth surface. They create magical and energetic inner worlds, encapsulated in subtly coloured glass forms. While making these pieces Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson are struck by how the pieces powerfully express their creative intent and directly seize upon the drama of the heat of the moment, an intuitive and exciting dialogue between the material and the action of making.

They have referenced early Venetian glassmaking techniques by using the special hard white glass developed by the Venetians, to achieve the very fine white lines of colour used in intricate decorative pattern making, such as Reticello and Zanfirico. By using this age old glass recipe, Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson have forged a bond between the historical Venetian glassmaking tradition with their contemporary and playful approach to glass.

They continue to investigate these themes through making large scale, subtly coloured blown forms, encapsulating new and alluring interior landscapes that contain structures which are increasingly complex and sophisticated. Both glass artists have studios in London, where they continue to collaborate, but also work on individual projects.

Tacoma Panicum Composition By Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson

At Future Heritage

Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson were invited to the prestigious Museum of Glass in Tacoma, near, to undertake a residency at the glass studio there. It was an opportunity for them to investigate new collaborative works that would become increasingly ambitious in scale, form and complexity. These completed pieces were shipped back to the UK and formed the collection that was exhibited at Future Heritage.

“The opportunity to showcase the new work at Future Heritage brought the pieces to a whole new international audience. The work received fantastic feedback and critical praise and as a direct result of Future Heritage went on to be exhibited again in London, Geneva and Monaco. Future Heritage is a fantastic platform from which artists and designers can collectively showcase new and challenging works beyond the context of a gallery space, in a very unique public arena.” - Hanne Enemark

Current work

Since 2019 the duo have shown work in the following exhibitions; British Glass Biennale, BRAFA, Belgium, COLLECT 2019 and 2020, Irish Glass Bienale, Dublin and have given demonstartions at Novotny Glass, Novy Bor, Czech Republic. They have completed a number of private commissions through Vessel Gallery, UK.

Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson’s work is represented in numerous pubic collections, Ebeltoft Glass Museum, Denmark (Hanne Enemark), the Glazenhuis Museum, Belgium the Toyama Glass Museum, Japan, the Atkinson Art Gallery, UK and the Victoria and Albert Museum, UK (Louis Thompson). Their collaborations have been purchased by Glasmuseum Lette, Germany, Boda Glass Factory Collection, Sweden, Novotny Museum, Czech Republic and the Museum of Glass, USA.

Ore Genesis Composition By Hanne Enemark and Louis Thompson

If you would like to make an enquiry about Hanne Enemark and commissions, get in touch here or visit her website www.hanneenemark.com

If you would like to make an enquiry about Louis Thompson and commissions, get in touch here or visit his website www.louisthompson.com