Glass Sculpture - Sasha Ward
In May 2000, The Martial Rose Library Extension was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Kent. Designed by architects, Fielden Clegg Bradley the building includes a 3 storey glass mural by artist Sasha Ward, which links the old building with the new.
The 11 metre high mural comprises 156 panels of screen printed enamelled glass. Influences on the design included the City of Winchester, King Alfred’s Jewel, illustrations from the Winchester Bible and the anticipation of movement, patterns and colour around the staircase. By layering just 4 glass enamels with sponged and sand blasted textured panels a great variety of colours and shapes are created as the screen is viewed from so many different angles. The main shape repeated, but staggered up the staircase is like a string of beads. Floating across these are cloud like shapes containing detailed castle, ring and crown patterns.
It reflects the history of Winchester and King Alfred’s College (as it was when the piece was commissioned) as can be seen from the framed working drawings displayed on the Ground Floor of the Atrium at the foot of the sculture.
’ My work is made for buildings, with the aim of adding interest through the use of colour and pattern or specific subject matter. I work mostly in glass and have always used techniques, as well as imagery, that are compatible with modern building methods. Most of my work has been commissioned for public buildings and it ranges from small stained glass chapel windows, to balustrading, to colour schemes for hospital departments. My main interest is in the play of shadow and coloured light transmitted through glass. I enjoy working on a large scale (for example 82 square metres of glass at King Alfred’s College, Winchester) and designing for other materials (for example flooring and wall painting) in order to achieve a harmonious whole within a space.’ Sasha Ward