Demonstration: International Glassblowing Demonstration

Name & age?
Balázs Telegdi, 33

Profession?
I consider myself a glassblower/glass maker, however, I teach a few different subjects and courses at three different institutes. All of them are linked to glass and arts.

Education?
I got excited about glassblowing in 2011, before I graduated high school. Then I had a preparatory year for university at the vocational school where I teach now. I attended the glass faculty at MOME in Budapest, and graduated BA in 2016, which was followed by a Danish Hojskole for a year, then the Royal Danish Academy’s glass department, BA again. I graduated there in 2021. Since 2021 I try to keep learning more and more, but it is less concentrated.

Why glass?
When I first encountered this material, I knew nothing about it. It just took my mind. It looked cool, and tough and artsy and something that required skills and devotion. So, I just liked it. It was now 14 years ago, and it is still the same, with the only difference, that I understand much more about this material than before, and I keep digging deeper and deeper. I feel that glass has such unique material qualities that no other has.

What inspires you?
My main inspiration is generally the material itself, the techniques, less known attributes of glass, the science of it, the natural movements/states of glass. I do not really design shapes and colors, but rather methods of making, or a unique aspect of glass that I design around. The colors and overall form come later.

Thoughts on Finland?
To be honest, my knowledge of Finland has some gaps to be filled. I do love lakes; thus Finland has always been there in my mind as a destination to be visited. I did live in Denmark for seven years, and Scandinavian design became close to me. I feel like Finnish glass, similar to scandinavian, is clear, intricate in simplicity with a pinch more of nature than its neighbours’. I hope, when I come back to Hungary, I will have much more knowledge about Finland and its glass scene.