Alienation 1 Glass Vase
by Hollow Forms · Ramallah, Palestinian Territory

Hollow Forms is a glassblowing project founded by designer and architect Dima Srouji. The glass blowing industry in Palestine is one of the most beautiful and technically advanced local traditions. The tradition has managed to survive for the last seven centuries; however, due to the fragility of the political context and the fragility of the material itself, the exportation of the products has decreased dramatically in recent years. To revive this tradition the concept of this project is to experiment with more contemporary forms and collaborate with the craftsmen in the area to produce a provocative exhibition. The goal is to highlight the cultural heritage while maintaining the current global standard of product design.3D software and renderings are used to communicate the designs to the craftsmen. In this exchange, the technology crosses the boundary between the ancient techniques of glass blowing used in Palestine and contemporary design. The aim, with crossing these boundaries, looking back to move forward, is to produce objects that will resonate a sense of place while maintaining the ability to act on a regional and global level. This is not a sentimental or nostalgic project; This is an attempt at reactivating the industry and reviving traditional craft while learning the ancient techniques used to draw inspiration from them.