Rago Auctions

Born and raised in Chicago, Jon Kuhn earned a BFA from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas and a MFA from Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia. Prior to his graduate studies he had primarily focused on ceramics, but quickly took to glass at VCU and decided to make it his life’s work. After receiving his MFA in 1978 he embarked on a career as an independent studio artist, initially focusing on hot glass which he would often encase in rock-like exteriors. He then cleaved off parts of these sculptures to reveal the smooth, glistening surface within.

When Kuhn moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1985, he set upon the path that eventually brought him great acclaim. Settled in his new studio, he began focusing on what would become his signature processes: cutting, grinding, polishing, and laminating. A lifelong student of metaphysical studies—he read his first book on Zen Buddhism at just 12 years old—Kuhn’s work had long been inspired by spirituality, the pursuit of perfection, and our inner lives, and it was through these techniques that he was finally able to express the light and architecture of the spiritual realm.

From a one-man shop in 1985, Kuhn’s business has grown to a 28-person staff who help him execute his designs, creating approximately 100 works per year. His artisans melt colored glass into thin sheets which are laminated together in various patterns. The colored stack is then cut into narrow strips that are ground and polished, and this process is repeated numerous times. The sparkling, colorful core of one sculpture contains several thousand pieces of glass and takes up to two months to complete. After the core has been laminated and polished, it is encased in borosilicate glass and layers of leaded glass. Metalsmiths then create stainless steel bases or strands on which to attach or hang the finished sculpture. A single piece can take up to 18 months to finish.

Kuhn’s work is astoundingly complex, meticulously crafted, and dazzling to both the eyes and the mind. He has become one the leading glass artists worldwide with works in over 45 international museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Carnegie Museum, the White House Permanent Collection, National Museum of American Art and hundreds of private residences and public spaces. Reflecting on his oeuvre he has stated: “The goal of spirituality is perfection. Striving for perfection has never been more evident in what I do. Perhaps my sculpture has become an architectural model of a vision for a better world.”