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A Brief History of VICARTE
Vicarte originated from the previous Portuguese Glass Association, founded in 1995, with the objective of starting a dialogue between scientists and artists interested in glass.
An international conference organized in 1999 in Lisbon and Marinha Grande, under the theme “Glass, Art and Science” joined in Portugal artists and scientists from several institutions all over the world namely, the Academy of Applied Arts, Czech Republic,
Ezra Glass Studio, Sakai-Gun, Fukui, Japan, College of Imaging Arts and Sciences, RIT, NY, Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, The Netherlands, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, The Corning Museum of Glass, NY, Syracuse University Syracuse, NY, St. Louis Art Museum St. Louis, MO, The British Museum, London, The Rosenborg Palace Copenhagen, Centre for Medieval Studies, The University of York, U.K., The Cathedral Studios from the Canterbury Cathedral, U.K., Fenestra Ateliers, Achel, Belgium, Ed Carpenter Studios, Portland, Uve Arup Engineers, London, Ozone Glass Design, Sydney, Australia, Derix Studio, Taunustein Germany, Instituto Superior Técnico , Lisbon, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, Murano, Veneza, Itália, Chalmer University of Technology and University of Goteborg, Sweden.
This was a very unique event where artists and scientists interested in glass met together in four sessions as follows: Contemporary Glass Art, Glass Archaeology, Glass in Architecture and Glass Science. A visit to Marinha Grande, the city of glass in Portugal, was made and a program with renowned artists working with glass blowing technicians from industry took place also.
In 2001 an important meeting was organized in the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Universidade de Lisboa, and the following mission statement for the creation of a Glass Centre in Portugal was signed:
The Centre will establish and sustain an innovative educational programme
at the Universidade de Lisboa, the Master of Fine Arts in Glass.
The program will be of interest to glass artists throughout the world and will pioneer the curricular integration of the art, technology and history of glass. It will be pursued with sufficient intellectual rigor and vitality that reflects credit upon the faculty, administration and students of the Universidade de Lisboa of Lisbon. Graduates of the program will be recognized as having received a superior education that supports their emergence as outstanding artists who have chosen the material glass as a medium for artistic expression. The combined effects of these activities will raise the awareness of the importance of glass in art, industry, design, architecture and other contemporary areas.
It will support the glass industry of Portugal and favour tourism.
Signed in 17 January 20001 by:
L. David Pye, Professor of Glass Science, New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University, Alfred, NY.
Michael Taylor, Professor of the College of Fine and Applied Arts, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY.
José Carlos de Carvalho e Melo, Associated Professor, Faculdade de Belas-Artes, Universidade de Lisboa.
António Pires de Matos, Coordinator Researcher, Departamento de Química, Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear, Invited Professor, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Fernando Quintas, Assistant Professor, Faculdade de Belas-Artes, Universidade de Lisboa.
A Research Unit entitled “Vidro e Cerâmica para as Artes”, VICARTE was officially recognized by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in 2002, which was a partnership between the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa and the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Universidade de Lisboa. The studios and laboratories are in the Caparica Campus of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Their members come from both universities, from the Nuclear and Technological Institute and from other institutions.
VICARTE is a multidisciplinary unit with 20 members (9 with PhD) who apply the know-how of glass science in art, conservation, archaeometry and history.
There is a constant interaction between the members in different projects and it was decided to have only one research group with the name “Glass Science in Art, Conservation and Archaeometry”.
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VICARTE is grateful to the following entities:
Faculty of Sciences and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Faculty of Fine Arts, Universidade de Lisboa
Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.
Instituto Tecnológico e Nuclear
Jasmim, Marinha Grande
CRISFORM, Marinha Grande
Santos Barosa, Marinha Grande
In-Fusão, Marinha Grande
Barracha Ltda., Vale de Frades
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