Delightly is an act of dissent against the disappearance of scientific glassblowing. This rare and endangered craft skill risks being lost as scientific glass fabricators retire and few makers remain who can fabricate borosilicate glassware for experimental apparatus. Created by artist Harriet Schwarzrock, this exhibition reclaims that knowledge through sculptural experimentation, transforming scientific methods into objects of wonder and delight.
At the heart of Delightly is plasma illumination, a fascinating intersection of glass vessels, atmospheric manipulation and electromagnetic energy that yields luminous objects sometimes described as an aurora in a bottle. Working with salvaged borosilicate glass and traditional laboratory apparatus, Schwarzrock produces apothecary like vessels containing the fourth state of matter, plasma, whose luminous behaviour shifts and pulses with viewer proximity.
Visitors are invited into a suspended, darkened installation space, fabricated from non-conductive recycled materials, conjuring an experience of a phosphorescing Wunder-Kammer or cabinet of curiosity. A kaleidoscopic mosaic with multiple viewing ports encourages playful and multisensory engagement between individuals and this extraordinary state of matter.
Delightly bridges art and science, taking scientific practice out of the museum and offering wonder to children and adults alike. The exhibition reinforces Canberra's reputation as a centre for innovative contemporary glass practice and a place where curious, boundary pushing thinking manifests in tangible and delightful experiences.