Josiah McElheny: Assistant Martha Friedman | Art21 "Extended Play"

3,759 views · Published 21 May 2009 · 2:39 · Indexed 27 September 2026

Channel: Art21 · 2009 · Entertainment

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Episode #057: Watch artist Josiah McElheny and assistant Martha Friedman transform clear hand-blown glass objects into mirrored surfaces in his Brooklyn, NY studio.

Josiah McElheny creates finely crafted, handmade glass objects that he combines with photographs, text, and museological displays to evoke notions of meaning and memory. McElhenys work takes as its subject the object, idea, and social nexus of glass. Influenced by the writings of Jorge Luis Borges, McElhenys work often takes the form of historical fictions. Part of McElhenys fascination with storytelling is that glassmaking is part of an oral tradition handed down generation to generation, artisan to artisan. Sculptural models of Modernist ideals, these totally reflective environments are both elegant seductions as well as parables of the vices of utopian aspirations.

Learn more about Josiah McElheny: http://www.art21.org/artists/josiah-mcelheny

VIDEO | Producer: Wesley Miller and Nick Ravich. Interview: Susan Sollins. Camera & Sound: Joel Shapiro and Tom Bergin. Editor: Jenny Chiurco. Artwork Courtesy: Josiah McElheny. Special Thanks: Martha Friedman.

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