GLASS PORTRAIT ART
Contemporary Portraiture Sculpted Through Impact
Glass portrait art is a rare and technically demanding field within contemporary art. Unlike traditional painting or photography, portraiture in glass requires not only visual precision but a sculptural understanding of light, fracture, and surface tension.
Simon Berger is internationally recognized as a pioneer of contemporary glass portrait art, developing a unique technique in which portraits are formed through controlled fragmentation of glass. Using a hammer as a sculptural instrument, he creates depth, shadow, and expression by manipulating breakage rather than adding material.
In his work, destruction becomes a tool of construction.
A New Language of Portraiture
Portraiture has historically been associated with painting, drawing, and photography. Glass introduces a fundamentally different dimension: transparency, reflection, and fragility.
In Berger’s practice, the image does not sit on the surface — it emerges from within the material. Each strike alters the structure of the glass, generating tonal variation through density and fracture patterns. The result is a portrait that shifts with light, revealing different expressions depending on the viewer’s position.
This approach transforms portraiture into a spatial and experiential medium.
Glass is no longer a support — It becomes the subject.
Technique: Sculpting Through Controlled Fragmentation
Simon Berger’s technique is based on precision impact. By striking laminated safety glass with calibrated force, he creates networks of micro-fractures that function like pixels or brushstrokes.
The process requires:
Structural understanding of glass behavior
Control over pressure and rhythm
Deep knowledge of light refraction
Long-term material experimentation
Unlike additive methods, this subtractive-impact technique is irreversible. Every gesture carries risk. The final image is the result of thousands of controlled decisions embedded within the material itself.
This method has established Berger as one of the leading contemporary glass portrait artists internationally.
Contemporary Context
Within contemporary art, glass has traditionally been associated with sculpture or decorative craft. Berger’s work shifts this perception.
By merging sculptural impact with portraiture, he situates glass within the broader discourse of contemporary figurative art.
His glass portraits engage with themes of:
Identity and perception
Vulnerability and resilience
Presence and absence
The tension between fragility and force
The fractured surface reflects both the physical and psychological complexity of the human face.
Light as Co-Creator
Unlike traditional media, glass portrait art interacts continuously with its environment.
Light is not external to the artwork — it completes it.
As illumination changes, the fractured structures respond dynamically. Highlights and shadows evolve, creating a living image that cannot be fully captured in photography.
This dynamic quality distinguishes glass portraiture from other forms of contemporary portrait art.
Monumental Scale and Public Installations
Simon Berger’s glass portraits range from intimate works to monumental installations.
Large-scale pieces introduce architectural presence, engaging public space and transforming transparency into narrative structure. In these works, portraiture expands beyond representation into environmental experience.
Glass becomes both image and architecture.
Commissions and Private Collections
Glass portrait art has gained increasing recognition among collectors and institutions seeking works that combine technical innovation with emotional intensity.
Berger’s works are represented internationally and have been exhibited in galleries, museums, and major art contexts across Europe and the United States.
For inquiries regarding available works, commissions, or exhibitions, please visit the Contact page.