Glass Art Full: Hannah Gibson's Sweet Nothings

Joyful art made from recycled glass

The Museum of Brands is opening an exhibition called ‘Glass Renewed: Hannah Gibson and the history of glass’. In the lead-up to the exhibition, we spoke to Hannah about her work, how she hid thousands of glass artworks for unsuspecting members of the public to stumble upon, and what we can expect from this exhibition. She creates these figures made out of recycled glass.

Hannah Gibson with her creations.

How did you decide to work with recycled glass and found materials?

I have been working with glass for over twenty-five years now, and it started when I studied Geology at the University of Edinburgh. I became fascinated by the mineralogy and the reactions between various elements, metals and compounds. For me, working with glass is alchemy. I love the challenge of working with recycled glass and the ability to approach casting with a rigorous scientific approach, to push the boundaries of glass. But more importantly, and constantly at the forefront of my mind, are the environmental impacts of working with glass.

Glass is ubiquitous and crucial in the circular economy due to its inherent recyclability and durability. Every single figure I cast carries its unique narrative. These include:

• A glass from a special anniversary

• A favourite jar of Marmite

• The 1980s CRT television screen on which someone once watched their favourite film

• The Neal's Yard Remedies bottle of bubble bath, used by a new mother arriving home from the hospital

• A broken mobile phone screen, smashed in the heat of an argument

Glass is imbued with memories. Hence the name of the body of work, Recycling Narratives.

Below the paywall:

• What made her hide 2,500 glass figures in public places?

• What happened when people found them?

• What can we expect from her exhibition at the Museum of Brands?