“Precession Through Glass” Brings Works of Acclaimed Global Glass Duo to Florida

Internationally renowned artists challenge the limits of glasswork and our understanding of the cosmos in new art exhibition

Sarasota, Fla. — What does it mean to visualize the unknown? Award-winning glass artists Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin examine the profound mysteries that underpin our understanding of the universe in their upcoming exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design. On view Nov. 15, 2026-April 17, 2027, “Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin: Precession Through Glass” presents a thought-provoking array of sculptures, installations and mixed media, including several new commissions that invite visitors into a world where science meets the sublime.

Rather than presenting the universe as something fixed and fully knowable, the exhibition highlights the limits of human understanding. Reflecting on complex concepts including DNA and human consciousness, Guggisberg and Baldwin focus on the space between what can be explained and what remains mysterious. Their work encourages viewers to consider both analytical thinking and intuition as essential ways of making sense of reality.

“Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin inspire us to think beyond a purely mechanical view of the universe,” said Sarasota Art Museum executive director Virginia Shearer. “Their work creates a conversation between logic and feeling, between what we can measure and what we can only sense. At the same time, their craftsmanship in glass is extraordinary, making these complex ideas accessible through visually striking forms. So often in the glass world, you see a strong formal focus with special attention on mastery of the medium. Here, Guggisberg and Baldwin have mastered their medium, but they’ve done something more–these are two of the few conceptual glass artists making work today, and that approach to the work especially sets them apart.”

One example is “The Pleiades 2023,” a large-scale work made from free-blown and cold-worked glass with overlays, steel and paint. The piece references the Pleiades star cluster — often called the “Seven Sisters” — which has appeared in myths and storytelling across cultures for centuries, from the Philippines to Denmark. By connecting astronomical observation with shared human narratives, the work reflects the exhibition’s broader theme: how people across time have tried to understand the unknown.

In “Precession Through Glass,” the artists draw on a well-known idea often attributed to Albert Einstein that “the intuitive mind is a sacred gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant.” The exhibition suggests that while science helps us understand the mechanics of the world, intuition allows us to engage with its deeper meaning.

Since beginning their collaboration in 1980, Guggisberg and Baldwin have developed a distinctive approach that combines traditional European glassmaking techniques. They merge Italian cold-working and engraving methods, known as battuto, with Swedish overlay techniques, resulting in layered, textured surfaces and precise forms. Their ongoing experimentation with color, scale and structure expands the possibilities of glass as a sculptural medium.

Guggisberg, born in Bern, Switzerland, and Baldwin, born in New York, both trained in glassmaking before establishing their long-term studio practice in Europe. Early in their careers, they founded one of Switzerland’s first independent glass studios, helping to shape the country’s contemporary glass movement. They are widely recognized for pushing the boundaries of studio glass through technically complex processes and for integrating philosophical and scientific themes into their work. Their artworks are held in major museum collections around the globe.

“There is no doubt that Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin are two of the elite among international artists working in glass today,” said Shearer. “They have been working as a collaborative team for over forty years and their work has been exhibited in over 150 exhibitions and is featured in over 40 museums globally. Here at Sarasota Art Museum, we are dedicated to showcasing world-class contemporary exhibitions, and these artists are no exception. We are thrilled to bring these pioneers of glasswork and leaders of their medium to Southwest Florida. We are prouder, still, to have commissioned several brand new works by the duo, which will make their world premiere right here in ‘Precession Through Glass.’”

By combining technical mastery with universal themes, “Precession Through Glass” offers audiences an opportunity to reflect on both the complexity of the universe and the human drive to understand it.

“Monica Guggisberg and Philip Baldwin: Precession Through Glass” is organized by Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design and curated by Virginia Shearer, executive director with curatorial guidance by Rangsook Yoon, former senior curator.

The exhibition is made possible through the generous support of sponsors Judy and Fred Fiala, Barbara Basch and Wendy Surkis.

About Sarasota Art Museum

Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design (SAM) is the city’s only Museum dedicated to modern and contemporary art. Founded in 2019, SAM features an ever-rotating lineup of world-class exhibitions, dynamic programs, and enriching educational offerings, and serves as a creative gathering place for curious minds from across the Gulf Coast, Southeast United States, and beyond. Housed in the historic former Sarasota High School, the Museum has revitalized and reimagined the towering landmark and architectural treasure, connecting Sarasota’s past with its present. Today, SAM is home to 15,000 square feet of gallery exhibition space, where nationally touring shows, as well as curated and commissioned exhibits by both renowned and emerging artists, deepen visitors’ appreciation for 20th and 21st century art. More at SarasotaArtMuseum.org.