Abstract

Through the conceptual framework of liminality this thesis explores the new space that Canadian sculptural glass creates within the art world. The liminal, because it is an in-between space that resides on the periphery of mainstream society, does not follow the rigid rules and regulations normally prescribed by mass/popular culture. Rather, and without being radical, the liminal is an amorphous space in which labels and categorizations cannot exist. What does exist is a constant possibility for hybrids and new systems of understanding to form. Thus, this thesis argues that craft and art can merge to form a new artistic space in which both traditions borrow and learn from each other without dominating the other. This results in a new type of art exemplified by the work of artists Kevin Lockau, Susan Edgerley, and Brad Copping. By examining the works of these three artists the thesis demonstrates how they use glass, a material normally considered functional and/or decorative to create a liminal space between the art and craft realms in which labels and boundaries are amorphous and in constant deferment. Lockau, Edgerley, and Copping show how glass can be used in extremely versatile and artistic ways to convey complex and abstract ideas dealing with race, gender, ethnicity, death, natural cycles, community, and the creation and importance of place. In the work of these three artists glass is taken outside the realm of the preconceptions of decorativeness and functionality