National Glass Centre

AN iconic stag’s head cast in glass in Sunderland from 24 per cent lead crystal will be seen by millions of people after being unveiled at the UK’s largest airport.

Glass makers at the National Glass Centre (NGC) were asked to cast the 50kg statue of Glenfiddich’s famous stag logo as part of a global advertising campaign launched at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 on Friday (October 29).

The stag’s head crowns an exclusive point of sale unit, manufactured specifically for William Grant & Sons, promoting the company’s famous whisky, and located in the Connoisseur Area of the World Duty Free Store.

So impressed has the company been by NGC’s work, that the centre and the project’s lead glass maker, Katya Izabel Filmus are in the process of producing two more statues for placement at international airports worldwide. It is hoped that more orders will follow.

The complex process has taken almost five months to complete, and NGC Studio Manager Chris Blade says it’s one of the most challenging the centre, which is part of the University of Sunderland, has ever undertaken.

“We were invited to pitch for this project against a number of other glass makers from both the UK and abroad,” explained Chris. “Katya Filmus and I visited the project manager, designer and sculptors in London on a consultancy basis and advised them what modifications were required for successful production in glass.
 
“From this meeting they decided to place an order with us, recognising that we had the skills and world-class resources to successfully complete the brief.

“This has certainly been one of the most exciting and challenging projects the NGC has had the opportunity to be involved in.

“The art of glass making is alive in Sunderland and this project shows the quality and calibre of artists working at the NGC and coming through the university.”

The process of making the sculpture began at Windsor Workshops, a model makers in London, where a mould of the stag’s head was created. Manufacturing it in glass was then handed over to Chris and Katya at NGC.

The lost wax process was chosen as the most appropriate for this project; this involves making moulds out of plaster and silica, reinforced with layers of wire. The casts each weigh about 50kg. After the glass fills the mould it must be cooled very slowly in the kiln, which took about 41 days for this particular project.

The final sculpture weighs 50kg and is cast in 24 per cent lead crystal glass. The antlers were cast separately and bonded after the final piece was polished using a mixture of hot sulphuric and hydrofluoric acid.

“This was a very complicated project because of the shape of the head and antlers, which had to be cast separately,” said Katya, who is one of Israel’s foremost glass artists, specialising in sculptural kiln formed glass, ceramic and glass design, and this year completed her MA in Glass with a distinction at the University of Sunderland.

“It was very time consuming project and I had to put all my knowledge, skill and concentration into it, but it was worth every minute, I am thrilled with the results.”

Ian Taylor, Global Marketing Manger for Travel Retail at William Grant & Sons said: “We sought to bring the pioneering spirit of Glenfiddich alive, to challenge conventions and to capture the essence of Glenfiddich.  From the outset we wanted to create a piece that was far closer to art than to retail furniture.  As the project progressed it became obvious that we needed to work with the very best glass team available, and that meant Katya and the NGC in Sunderland.”

An inscription on the stag’s head reads: “This stag’s head – the symbol of Glenfiddich has been created by sculptor Steve Furlonger and cast by Katya Izabel Filmus of the National Glass Centre, University of Sunderland, England.”