Arts & Culture

Museum Ends "Summer Of Glass" With New Chihuly Acquisition On Permanent Display

89.1 WBOI | By Julia Meek

Published September 7, 2016 at 2:41 PM EDT

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Glass artist, Jacob Stout, on left, in installation mode with Chihuly's "Lily Gold Chandelier" in the FWMoA while Charles Shepard (on far right) and museum staff observe.

Courtesy/FWMoA

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Glass artist and installation specialist, Jacob Stout and Charles Shepard stayed calm and confident throughout the process.

Courtesy/FWMoA

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art's acquisition of Dale Chihuly's "Lily Gold Chandelier" this spring was an "art glass" dream come true.

But that dream brought many challenges. The museum had to find the perfect spot for the one-ton piece, and additional support for its weight was added. An installation specialist was hired to assemble its more than 100 glass elements.

Chihuly's "Lily Gold Chandelier" on permanent display in the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.

Minutes after the two-day job was complete, WBOI's Julia Meek met with Museum president, Charles Shepard, and installer, Jacob Stout, to discuss how the project went. We'll also learn about the use of glass in art, the museum's future glass art plans , and what makes this chandelier so special.

Chihuly's "Lily Gold Chandelier" is now in its permanent position at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art for all to enjoy. The museum's "Summer of Glass" ends Sunday, September 11th. For more information, visit the museum's website.