John Hogan's new collection Menagerie, a name that plays on its elevated otherness, is a continuation of the artist’s exploration of glass as a chief creative medium. For this collection, and by contrast to a number of the artist’s recent collections - which deployed glass at furniture scale - Hogan produced a number of pieces that are smaller in scale than some may expect. This shift, whilst emphasizing a rigorous production process, signals a return to Hogan’s roots with diminutive, exquisitely proportioned pieces that emphasize 3-dimensionality and can be easily admired in the round.
“By working smaller I’m able to approach ideas more loosely and freely without the burden of time and cost slowing my considerations,“ says Hogan. The artist also returned to his classical training, utilizing a technique which began with instinctive sketch drawings that metamorphosed into fully realized sculpture. Each singular piece within Menagerie stands alone as art in its own right, yet the work can also be grouped and showcased in an endless variety of ways. “Often an arrangement of objects is stronger than any individual object would be on its own. Hopefully, the range of ideas, the scale, and price point will allow collectors to consider groupings and pairings of their liking,” Hogan says.