Menagerie

The Future Perfect is pleased to present “Menagerie,” an exhibition by John Hogan at the San Francisco Gallery on June 27th.

Menagerie, a name that plays on the collection’s elevated otherness, is a continuation of the artist’s exploration of glass as a chief creative medium. For this collection, and by contrast to a number of the artist’s recent collections – which deployed glass at furniture scale – Hogan produced a number of pieces that are smaller in scale than some may expect. This shift, whilst emphasizing a rigorous production process, signals a return to Hogan’s roots with diminutive, exquisitely proportioned pieces that emphasize 3-dimensionality and can be easily admired in the round.

“By working smaller I’m able to approach ideas more loosely and freely without the burden of time and cost slowing my considerations,“ says Hogan. The artist also returned to his classical training, utilizing a technique which began with instinctive sketch drawings that metamorphosed into fully realized sculpture.

Each singular piece within Menagerie stands alone as art in its own right, yet the work can also be grouped and showcased in an endless variety of ways. “Often an arrangement of objects is stronger than any individual object would be on its own. Hopefully, the range of ideas, the scale, and price point will allow collectors to consider groupings and pairings of their liking,” Hogan says.

In less than a decade, Seattle-based Hogan has built a career as one of the world’s most collectible artists working with glass. Today, his highly collectible objects, which include furniture, vessels and sculpture, continue to draw influence from a variety of sources – from astronomy to ancient history. Regardless of its scale or inspiration, a John Hogan work can always be relied upon to push the boundaries of an ancient material.

“Glass is a craft-based medium and I enjoy exploring the nuanced traditions within its history,” Hogan added. “The pieces are made in a range of processes including hot cast, kiln cast, hot sculpted, and cold worked glass. It’s important to me that the pieces that I care about end up with people that really love them. Working at a smaller scale and with a more approachable price point allows me to share the work with more people.”

Each piece in the Menagerie collection is numbered and one of a kind.