FRÄBEL STUDIO announced today that President Obama has commissioned thirty-four “Glass Tree” sculptures created by world renowned flamework glass artist HANS GODO FRÄBEL. The exquisite glass sculptures will be presented to world leaders at the G20 Summit in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 24-25 September 2009. For more information and high resolution pictures, go to: www.frabel.com/obama-gift.
“I am honored that President Obama has selected my art for his gift presentation,” stated Fräbel. He added, “The symbolism of ‘Glass Tree’ mirrors so well the overarching tone and objective of the G20 Summit.” In describing the art gift, Fräbel commented that all of the Tree’s leaves point upward symbolizing success and cooperation; the Tree’s pinnacle shape symbolizes unity and movement towards a common goal; trees are a symbol of strength, wisdom and endurance; glass, a beautiful yet fragile material, symbolizes the fragility of freedom, liberty and our environment; and beneath the Tree’s black wooden base is a 1/2″ stainless steel plate representing Pittsburgh’s former steel industry that is moving to new, environmentally-friendly products, such as heat blocking glass panes created by PPG, a $16 Billion company headquartered in Pittsburgh.
President Obama encountered Fräbel’s glass sculptures at the Fräbel Botanical Exhibition currently on display at the Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh (www.phipps.conservatory.org). Fräbel was invited as a special guest at the G20 Summit opening event on September 24th. For more information on Fräbel, please visit www.frabel.com or contact Kevin Oonk at 404.510.0329 (direct); 404.351.1491 (fax); or [email protected].
About the Artist — Hans Godo Fräbel
Hans Godo Fräbel is regarded as one of the most influential flameworkers in America. He has been an important part of the evolution of flameworking as a recognized and respected art medium. Fräbel’s work is most easily characterized by its flawless quality and unique design. Long known for his “pop-art” aesthetic, Fräbel is famous for sculptures that depict ordinary things in a manner that makes them extraordinary. His list of accomplishments is long and diverse and his sculptures have been included in museum collections around the world. Born in Jena, East Germany in 1941, Fräbel came to the U.S. and settled in Atlanta in 1965. Visit www.frabel.com for more information.
