Acrylic sometimes called plexiglass refers to a hard transparent plastic material. Originally used for industrial purposes as a lightweight alternative to glass, it is now not only found in most spheres of daily life, but it has also opened new exciting avenues in jewelry, design and art.
The discovery and production of acrylic acid in 1843, was followed by other developments, particularly the discovery of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), more commonly called acrylic. Patented in Germany in 1933, Plexiglas is a well known brand name. Other brand names - such as Lucite and Perspex - are used interchangeably with the term acrylic.
Commercial production of acrylic dates back 1936. It opened new possibilities and was used on a large scale during World War II for the production of bomber cockpits and nose compartments, gun turrets, submarine periscopes. Nowadays acrylic products are used for everything from picture frames to bulletproof windows, aquariums, shower compartments, etc. Compatible with human tissue, it is widely used for implants and prosthetics, as well as for cosmetic surgery and dentistry.
Acrylic in design
Acrylic definitely appeals to designers and artists, offering new opportunities for expression.
Furniture designers began to incorporate Lucite and other acrylic products in their designs in the 1960s and 1970s. Acrylic continues to inspire designers with its plasticity and ability to transcend functionality through its transparent character and weightlessness. Although acrylic furniture has been available for many decades, it still gives a tone of modernity and lightness to a room.
Novelty in design led to the use of acrylic in musical instruments such as guitars and drums. The transparent body of acrylic electric guitars reveals the inner workings of the guitar without compromising sound quality. Acrylic drums have also been adopted by famous musicians such as the late John Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin.
Acrylic in fine arts
Leroy Lamis is one of the artists who adopted acrylic in his creative work. Strongly influenced by constructivism, he worked intensively with acrylic in the 1960s and 1970s, taking advantage of its capacity to refract and filter light. His constructions may be found in a number of museums, especially the Brooklyn Museum or the Swope Art Museum.
Renowned for the Washington National Cathedral's Creation Sculptures and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial's Three Soldiers, Frederick Hart was the first artist to cast figurative work in clear acrylic resin. He particularly appreciated the unique watery and flowing quality of acrylic and the possibility of using these qualities to suggest dreams, memories and visions.
Other artists mixed pieces of acrylic with other materials to create contrasts or maybe complementarity, as exemplified by Salvador Dali's bronze and acrylic sculpture, Elephant Spatial from 1980.
While pieces of acrylic may be used in fine arts, some artists paint directly on an acrylic surface. Sometimes, the artist will paint both sides (reverse paintings). Acrylic also allows etching directly on the surface with a special tool, thus avoiding the use of acid, and be fitted with LED lights to make it glow when lit.
Acrylic paint has joined more traditional paints in fine art. It has unique characteristics: more intense hues, pure colors and adaptability. It's also light- and age-resistant. Diluted with water, it works as watercolor; it also is used as a substitute for oil paints.
Kinga Kozakowska is one of the many artists using acrylic paint on canvas. The specific qualities of this paint allow her to mix it with sand and occasionally transparent polyester to create a universe where light and shadow can shift and combine. In this way, she mediates her vision of space and of the vibration of life through that space.
Trends in jewelry design
Acrylic is also widely used in another creative field: jewelry production, whether in mass production or in designer jewelry.
Mass produced acrylic jewels are widely available. While cheap, they can be quite attractive and of a decent quality. Obviously, jewel designers such as Binglabart (Italy) or Ikuo (Paris) do offer much more exciting pieces in terms of inspiration, creativity and know-how. Some of these jewels can be considered wearable sculptures, with a strong visual impact demonstrating sophistication and elegance whether classical or eccentric.
A commitment to the environment was the motivation for Claire Requa Design (Denmark) to expand its production of interior accessories in plexiglass with a jewelry line. Leftovers from the production of acrylic chandeliers are now repurposed into light, funky jewels. This is indeed an original and creative way of addressing the modern concern for waste management of a man-made product.
The discovery of acrylic acid was a turning point in modern life. Acrylic products have become an integral part of modern life in heavy industry, daily life and, not least, the world of arts and design. Designers and artists have embraced the material with enthusiasm. Its combined qualities of plasticity, lightness and transparency provide artists and designers with a unique way to mediate their emotions and artistic vision and to offer an exciting avenue for the creative process.
Eliane Kristensen is a French citizen living in Denmark. You can meet her on her Facebook page 1001Art ( http://www.facebook.com/1001Art ). The aim is to enjoy together the many facets and the richness of art, particularly contemporary art.
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