Watcher II by Bertil Vallien

Bertil Vallien, one of Sweden's most famous glass artists, was born in 1938 and reared in a spiritual family. His first contact with art was as an apprentice with his father's design company; however, Vallien was fired when the drawings he produced on the walls became visible through the wallpaper he had been hired to hang.¹ He formally studied ceramics at Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design, Stockholm, starting in 1955. Vallien then transferred to the School for Advanced Industrial Design (Stockholm) and studied there for 2 years; he returned to Konstfack University College of Arts, Crafts and Design and graduated in 1961. After graduation, Vallien received a scholarship to study in the United States and Mexico and established himself as a ceramics artist. In 1963, he returned to Sweden and has maintained a glass studio at the Afors glassworks (founded in 1876) since then. Vallien is best known for his perfection of the sand casting technique in glassmaking.²

Watcher II, a cast-glass figure (77 x 12 x12 ¾ inches), is lithe, willowy, and alien. The “head” of the sculpture, an open space like a double-paned window or small fish tank, contains found objects, most notably a large skeleton key. In literature, we often see the linking of eyes, windows, and souls. It is easy to interpret this portion of the sculpture with the same metaphor. The sculpture also could be seen as the eye of a Cyclops. Watcher II stands guard like a modern icon of an ancient gargoyle that watched over all passersby.

Watcher II, gift of the Edward Anixter Foundation in memory of Edith Anixter, is located on the 8th floor of the Gonda Building, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.