Over 50 contemporary glass artists breathe new life into natures most volatile medium in Fired Up: Glass Today, which recently opened at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. Of more than 150 works on view, approximately half were created exclusively for this exhibition or will make their public debut at the Wadsworth. Special live events, including glass working demonstrations at an onsite hot shop, feature artists who will bring the magic of glass to Hartford, Conn. Fired Up will be on view through Feb. 5, 2023. This group of exceptional artists is taking risks, forging new paths, and inspiring people with glass as a means of expression, said Brandy Culp, Richard Koopman Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Wadsworth and curator of the exhibition. The work in Fired Up is exceptional for its sculptural beauty and technical skill but also for its ability to make bold social statements. Pushing the Limits Works by glass maestros such as Nancy Callan, Sidney Hutter, Dante Marioni, Lino Tagliapietra, and Tim Tate test the physical and aesthetic potentials of glass. At the same time, the works in the exhibition question cultural assumptions on a range of topics. Among them are Kim Thomas Cloud Capturing Apparatus; Hannah Gibsons Recycling Narratives, A Tangible Hope, made from recycled COVID-19 vaccine bottles; and Dan Fridays installation, Schaenexw (Salmon) Run, each signaling human impact on natures delicate balance. Local Connections in the International Year of Glass Fired Up is powerful for bringing a vast range of innovative glass works together and for connecting working artists with the public at the museum, said Dr. Matthew Hargraves, director of the Wadsworth. Not only will you see great works of art in this exhibition, youll also meet the people who bring these wonderful objects into being and see how they do it in real time. Fired Up joins offerings by institutions worldwide, including the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass (AACG) and the United Nations, in celebration of the International Year of Glass 2022. The historic global initiative aligns with the 60th anniversary of Studio Glass and aims to honor glass in art, architecture, history, technology, industry, and science. For those interested in the medium of glass and modern glass art, check out Netflixs series, Blown Away. About the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art Founded in 1842 with a vision for infusing art into the American experience, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is home to a collection of nearly 50,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years and encompassing European art from antiquity through contemporary as well as American art from the 1600s to today. The Wadsworth Atheneums five connected buildings, representing architectural styles including Gothic Revival, modern International Style, and 1960s Brutalism, are located at 600 Main St. in Hartford, Conn. To learn more, call 860-278- 2670 or visit www.thewadsworth.org.