Depending on who you ask, credit for the invention of glass can either be given to the Romans, the Chinese or the Mesopotamians. According to one rather suspect legend, a group of Roman sailors invented the substance whilst cooking a meal on a beach one evening. And then of course, there's the eastern tale of how, over 2,000 years ago a group of erstwhile Chinese entrepreneurs inadvertently stumbled across the secret of glass.
A more accurate account, however, places the beginning of glass production roughly 2,500 years prior to either of these events and credits Mesopotamian potters with the invention.
Disregarding the question of whose hand the substance we now all take for granted first came into being, there is little doubt as to the name of the chap who has managed to etch Taiwan's name on the international glassware map.
Heinrich Wang (王俠軍) of Tittot (琉園) has built up a thriving business that has influenced artists and university art facilities all over the world, with the simple combination of sand, soda, lime and, of course, a whole lot of heat. All of which was made possible with a seven month course in glass blowing, cutting and grinding.
"I worked in the local movie industry for a bit and made a few fiction movies. But then simply got fed up with it and figured it was time for a change," Wang said. "I certainly didn't plan to, or have any illusions about becoming so successful."
Putting his clapperboard away in 1987, Wang enrolled at the Center for Creative Studies at the Detroit College of Art and Design. There he spent seven months studying every aspect of working with glass. On his return to Taiwan in 1988, Wang rented a disused workshop in Tamsui, calling it Liuli Gong Fang (琉璃工房).
It was good timing. The late 1980s was the beginning of the end for Hsinchu's once thriving glassware industry. "For many years Hsinchu was to glass work what Yingko is to pottery and Sanyi is to woodcarving -- a center of excellence," the pony-tailed artist said. "About 15 years ago, though, the factories started to close down. The predominantly export-orientated businesses moved to China because of lower running costs and cheaper labor."
Along with teaching seven close artist friends the skills he'd learnt, Wang set about developing his own glass art production techniques at the Liuli studio.
"As local artists steered clear of using glass as a medium at that time, very few people were aware of the extensive possibilities it offered," Wang said. "Which meant I had to do more than simply teach the hows and whys of working with glass. I had to cover everything, even glass appreciation."
Wang used Western methods combined with traditional Asian aspects and, most importantly for the artist, a truly contemporary Taiwanese flavor. After two years and countless experiments, Wang decided to hold his first exhibition. Held at a popular local bookstore, it was an immediate success.
Wang said his days as a face in the local movie industry enabled him to drum up some media interest, while the pricing of his works virtually guaranteed him an instant following amongst art lovers and the general public alike.
"I was well aware that I needed to make a splash if glass artwork was ever going to catch on," Wang said. "Obviously, getting media attention was easy, but I also decided to put the price tag of NT$1 on every piece."
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