Fluted Vase c. 1925 - 1930

Curator: Right, let's talk about this piece. It's called "Fluted Vase" and dates from about 1925 to 1930, attributed to Steuben Glass Works. It's currently held here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Editor: Wow, that green just vibrates, doesn't it? It's such a lively, almost radioactive, kind of green. And the texture, those fluted ridges, invites you to run your hands along it. Like a futuristic, happy cactus. Curator: The color is striking, yes, especially considering the period. Art Deco embraced a wide palette, and Steuben was known for their innovative glassmaking. The geometric form, typical of Art Deco, echoes classical forms, yet its simplicity speaks to modernity. Editor: It's like they took a Roman column and dipped it in a vat of neon green Kool-Aid! The audacity. And those ridges, they're so perfectly spaced. It feels so intentional, so designed, and yet it manages to also feel a bit playful. I mean, what do you put in a vase like this? It seems more at home as a piece of sculpture than as tableware. Curator: Exactly! Function becomes secondary. The 'Fluted Vase' becomes an emblem of the Art Deco movement's focus on aesthetics. These pieces signified affluence and cultural sophistication in a booming interwar America, adorning homes as declarations of modernity. Though glass making has always walked this fascinating line, this piece represents a shift towards mass production and consumer culture, changing ideas about decorative objects and art. Editor: It's wild to imagine this vase sitting on a highly polished table in some Park Avenue apartment. A tiny, verdant scream amongst all the restrained elegance. So...powerful, I think. It's not just pretty, but almost demanding that you acknowledge it. Even now, years later. Curator: That vibrancy continues to speak to us today, I believe. This vase offers more than a pretty shape; it invites us to ponder design, society, and our ever-evolving relationship with both. Editor: Right. Something so pretty holding all this historical weight. Thanks for adding to the layers of appreciation with your thoughtful insights, Curator.