>> BLOW IT OUT NOW.

YEAH, GO AHEAD AND BLOW.

>> [MUSIC PLAYING] >> WHOA.

TAKE IT UP A LITTLE BIT.

THAT LOOKS EVEN BETTER THAN THE OTHER ONE.

>> DALE NEEDS TO DO THESE THINGS.

HE HAS A--HE'S OBSESSIVE ABOUT DOING THE NEW THING, OF BREAKING HIS FORMER MOLD.

>> HE'S ALWAYS PROVOCATIVE.

HE HAS TAKEN IT TO THESE HEIGHTS THAT NOBODY COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED GLASS GOING TO.

>> I'VE ALWAYS SAID HE WILL BECOME THE BEST KNOWN CONTEMPORARY ARTIST IN ANY MEDIUM, AND I EXPECT THAT.

>> I DO DIFFERENT KINDS OF EXHIBITIONS.

I EXHIBIT IN CONSERVATORIES AND BOTANICAL GARDENS.

I DO PROJECTS LIKE "CHIHULY OVER VENICE," WHERE WE TOOK A TEAM OF 30 PEOPLE TO SEVERAL COUNTRIES TO MAKE CHANDELIERS THAT WE HUNG OVER THE CANALS OF VENICE.

AND THE THIRD TYPE OF SHOW THAT I DO IS IN A MUSEUM.

YOU KNOW, WHEN I GOT A CALL FROM JOHN BUCHANAN FOR THE EXHIBITION AT THE DE YOUNG, I KNEW, YOU KNOW, HOW POPULAR THAT MUSEUM WAS, AND I LOOKED FORWARD TO MAKING NEW WORK FOR THE SHOW AND ALSO TO REDO SOME OLDER SERIES OF WORK AND SHOW THEM IN A NEW WAY.

>> I BELIEVED THAT GIVING DALE, THE ARTIST, FREE REIN HERE, OR AS MUCH REIN AS POSSIBLE, WOULD RESULT IN THE MOST FASCINATING AND COMPELLING TYPE OF EXHIBITION.

>> I JUST WANTED TO MAKE IT AS GOOD AS I POSSIBLY COULD.

AND I CARVED OUT ENOUGH TIME AND GOT ENOUGH PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE SHOW THAT IF WE WERE EVER GONNA DO A GREAT SHOW, IT WAS GONNA BE THE DE YOUNG.

>> I THINK IT WAS THAT LICENSE, THAT ARTISTIC LICENSE, THAT WE PROVIDED DALE AND HIS ATELIER THAT RESULTED IN THE BREADTH AND DEPTH OF THE EXHIBITION THAT WE HAD HERE.

>> TAKE A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED ART TOWN--SAN FRANCISCO.

HAVE A MUSEUM--BRAND NEW, EXCITING MUSEUM.

HAVE 11 PRIME GALLERIES, 12,000 SQUARE FEET.

WHEN YOU HAVE ALL THAT, YOU GOTTA GO ALL OUT.

>> WELL, HE OFTEN DOES.

HA HA HA HA HA!

HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY LOWER SPEEDS.

>> I REGARD HIM AS A MODERNIST IN THE DEEPEST SENSE, AND FOR ME THE GREAT ACHIEVEMENT OF MODERNISM REALLY CAN BE TRACKED BACK TO THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, MAYBE IMPRESSIONISM, SORT OF EMPHASIS ON WHAT I CALL THE AESTHETIC FUNDAMENTALS OF ART, OR SOME PEOPLE CALL THE FORMAL FACTORS--YOU KNOW, LINE, COLOR, SHAPE, COMPOSITION.

HE HAS A VERY COMPLICATED COMPOSITION, BUT HE'S ALSO DEALING WITH NATURE, WHICH, YOU KNOW-- BAUDELAIRE ONCE SAID THAT ART WAS AN ARTIFICIAL PARADISE, AND HE'S GOT AN ARTIFICIAL PARADISE.

THERE IS CLEARLY A PROCESS ART DIMENSION TO DALE'S WORK, AND THIS IS CERTAINLY IN HIS PAINTINGS AND DRAWINGS AS WELL.

SO YOU SENSE A HAND.

AND I'M NOT JUST SAYING A LINE ALSO, SOME RATHER BEAUTIFUL LINES.

THAT IS A MODERNIST DIMENSION, BUT IT'S HANDLED IN A MEDIUM THAT IS NOT SORT OF PRODIGINAL MODERNIST LIKE PAINTING.

YES, THE GLASS BLOWING IS CRUCIAL, AND GLASS IS MOLTEN.

IT'S LIKE PAINT IN THAT SENSE--IT'S FLUID.

AND IT REQUIRES A CERTAIN KIND OF INTUITIVE ATTUNEMENT TO THE MATERIALS AND IS VERY MATERIALLY BASED AS WELL.

>> WHOA!

WELL, I THINK THAT DID IT.

>> CAN YOU GRAB IT?

>> YES.

>> NICE JOB!

[APPLAUSE] >> I HAVEN'T A CLUE HOW DALE DOES IT.

TIFFANY DRAGGED ME TO VENICE, TO MURANO, AND TOOK ME INTO A ROOM WITH ALL THESE GUYS AND SAID, "MAKE SOME STUFF FOR TIFFANY."

AND THEY WERE BLOWING AWAY, AND I--HA!

I SAID MAKE IT BIGGER OR MAKE IT LONGER.

I MEAN, WHAT CAME OUT WAS KIND OF WEIRD.

SO I KNOW THERE'S A MAGIC TRICK THAT DALE HAS GOING TO GET THESE SUBLIME FIGURES AND THINGS AND...

BUT THAT'S HIS ART, AND HE'S PERFECTED IT.

BUT IT IS IMMEDIATE AND DIRECT, AND YOU FEEL IT IN THE PIECES, THAT THEY'RE IMMEDIATE, THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY JUST HAPPENED A MINUTE AGO.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> MANY OF THE ROOMS AT THE DE YOUNG SHOW, YOU KNOW, WERE CURRENT PIECES, BUT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT SERIES THAT I'VE DONE ARE THE BASKETS.

THE BASKETS WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY WORKING WITH HEAT AND GRAVITY AND CENTRIFUGAL FORCE, ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT ALLOWED ME TO MAKE THESE BASKETS THAT ARE MISSHAPEN, BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE SO NATURAL.

THAT IT WAS A TECHNIQUE I WAS GONNA USE PROBABLY FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE.

AT FIRST, I WAS JUST TRYING TO COPY KIND OF COLLAPSED INDIAN BASKETS, AND I WOULD PAD--YOU KNOW, HIT THEM WITH THE PADDLE AND TRY TO MAKE 'EM LOOK LIKE THAT.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY I FIGURED OUT THAT I DIDN'T NEED TO USE ANY TOOLS.

I COULD MAKE IT NATURALLY.

AND THAT TECHNIQUE HAS STAYED WITH ME ON AND OFF EVER SINCE THEN.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU--THE SEA FORMS, THE MACCHIA, MANY, MANY OF THE SERIES USE THHEAT AND THE GRAVITY AND THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE.

WHEN TIM BURGARD, ONE OF THE CURATORS AT THE DE YOUNG CAME UP TO SEATTLE TO MEET WITH ME ABOUT SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE WERE GONNA DO FOR THE SHOW, TIM SAW THE INDIAN ROOM, WHICH EXISTS IN MY STUDIO.

AND THE INDIAN ROOM IS AN IMPRESSIVE ROOM.

IT'S GOT THE BEAUTIFUL PENDELTONS, AND IT'S GOT THE CURTIS PHOTOGRAPHS.

IT'S GOT THE INDIAN BASKETS.

IT'S GOT A HUGE TABLE.

HE WANTED TO SHOW IT, AND I--YOU KNOW, I WAS A LITTLE BIT LEERY ABOUT NOT SO MUCH THAT I COULDN'T REPEAT THE ROOM, AS MUCH AS HOW WOULD IT LOOK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE 11-ROOM SHOW TO HAVE ONE ROOM MADE UP MOSTLY OF PIECES THAT WEREN'T MINE.

SO WE PUT THE COLLECTIONS, THE BASKETS, THE BLANKETS, THE BEAUTIFUL 700-YEAR-OLD TABLE, AND THEN WE BLEW ABOUT 70 TABAC BASKETS TO GO ON THAT TABLE.

YEAH, HANG IT DOWN.

>> HIT THE BOTTOM A LITTLE BIT.

>> THE ONLY NEGATIVE ABOUT THIS PIECE IS IT SORT OF GOES UP LIKE THIS AND DOWN LIKE THAT.

>> RIGHT, IT'S THAT MIDDLE PART.

>> YEAH.

TRY TO MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT--YOU KNOW HOW TO MAKE THAT SMOOTHER?

MAKE THE BOTTOM BIGGER.

TENDS TO LOOK BETTER WHEN THEY'RE BIGGER.

>> OK. >> AND THE MORE--YOU KNOW, AND SORT OF HAVING THIS FEELING A LITTLE BIT.

TRY YOU GET-- >> AND NOT SO DIAMOND SHAPED.

>> YEAH, NOT--RIGHT.

SO WHICH MEANS YOU MIGHT HAVE TO HEAT IT A LITTLE FURTHER IN ON THE LAST HEAT.

>> YEAH.

OK. LIKE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES IF THAT BOTTOM'S TOO BIG, IT LOOKS SO HEAVY.

I'M NOT TRYING TO MAKE THEM LIGHT, BUT-- >> WELL, DON'T WORRY ABOUT 'EM LOOKING HEAVY.

>> OK. >> JOEY, JUST HIT THESE THREADS HERE.

>> DO YOU WANT THE GOLD ON THERE, TOO?

>> YEAH.

>> YEAH.

>> BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL.

>> GOT IT?

THERE WE GO.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> SO I THINK THIS SIZE IS BETTER.

>> YEAH, THAT'S A NICE SIZE TO HAVE.

YES.

HOLD THAT UP FOR A SECOND.

YES, I LIKE THAT BETTER.

NICE--NICE WRINKLES, TOO.

VERY, VERY GOOD.

NICE.

YEAH, I LIKE THAT, WHEN THEY COME IN LIKE THAT.

>> JUST ON THE LIP A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT?

>> WELL, JUST THAT THE PIECE IN GENERAL COMES IN.

>> JIMMY, THAT SIZE IS A GOOD SIZE TO FIT INTO SOMETHING.

>> WHAT ABOUT INDIVIDUAL PIECES?

>> THAT SHOULD--YEAH, SO IT'S HARD TO--THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THAT, IT'S HARD TO TELL WHICH ONE YOU WANT TO USE IN THE SET.

YEAH, THIS IS PROBABLY A GOOD... >> [MUSIC PLAYING] >> KNOWING OF THE DE YOUNG'S GREAT COLLECTION OF CONTEMPORARY GLASS, I THOUGHT DALE AND HIS WORK WOULD BE A WONDERFUL SUBJECT FOR AN EXHIBITION HERE.

AND SO WITHIN MY FIRST MONTH OR TWO ON THE JOB, I CONTACTED DALE AND ASKED HIM IF HE'D SEEN THE NEW DE YOUNG MUSEUM.

HE SAID NO, HE HAD NOT.

HE HAD HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT IT.

AND SO I INVITED DALE TO COME DOWN AND CHECK OUT THE MUSEUM, HOPING THAT HE WOULD BE INSPIRED BY WHAT HE SAW, PARTICULARLY THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING.

AND LO AND BEHOLD, DALE WAS INSPIRED BY THAT ARCHITECTURE AND BY THE PHENOMENA OF THIS AMOROUS NEW BUILDING DESIGNED BY HERZOG AND DE MEURON.

AND FROM THAT, IT LEAD TO OUR BRAINSTORMING IN TERMS OF THE CREATION OF AN EXHIBITION.

>> HRECOGNIZED YOU.

WE'RE FROM SEATTLE.

HE HAD TO COME AND SAY HI.

>> WELL, I DECIDED TO SHOW A NEW NEON PIECE FOR THE DE YOUNG EXHIBITION.

I'VE WORKED WITH NEON ON AND OFF REALLY SINCE I WAS A GRADUATE STUDENT.

WAY BACK IN 1967, I PUMPED SOME NEON INTO A PIECE OF MY GLASS.

I DON'T KNOW WHY MORE ARTISTS HAVEN'T WORKED WITH NEON.

IT'S NOT EASY, BUT IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH AN AMAZING SOURCE OF LIGHT, AND WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH IT...

THERE'S SOME GREAT STUFF IN THERE.

HEARTS... >> HOW DO YOU LIKE THE ONE WITH THE BLUE ON THE OUTSIDE THERE, THOUGH?

>> THE BLUE ON THE OUTSIDE?

YEAH, I LIKE THAT.

I LIKE BOTH THOSE BLUES.

THE--BUT LOOK AT-- SEE, THEY MADE THAT TUBE THICK AND THIN.

>> YEAH, NO, THAT'S TERRIFIC.

>> I MEAN, I THINK THAT LOOKS REALLY ORGANIC.

>> YEAH.

NO, NO, I JUST WONDERED... >> I ASKED HIM HOW SMALL COULD HE GO AND YET FEEL LIKE A TUMBLEWEED OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND HE THINKS ABOUT 3 FEET.

HOPEFULLY HE CAN GO-- >> MAYBE 2.

HA HA HA HA!

>> LET'S START HAVING HIM JUST MAKE 2- AND 3-FOOTERS, HANG THEM SOMEWHER AND INSTEAD OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE, LET'S JUST MAKE THE DAMN THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IS MAKE A BUNCH, YOU KNOW, AND THEN JUST PICK WHICH ONES I LIKE OR WHICH ONES LOOK BEST TOGETHER.

'CAUSE I MEAN WE CAN USE ALL OF 'EM IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, SO THE NICE THING WOULD BE JUST TO MAKE 'EM.

SO WE EXPERIMENTED WITH NEON FOR ABOUT A YEAR, UH, BUT IT CULMINATED IN THIS FIRST TOWER IN NEW YORK, THIS EXTRAORDINARY GREEN COLOR THAT MADE A FABULOUS LIGHT IN THE DAYTIME AND A WILD GLOW AT NIGHT.

I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING NEW FOR THE DE YOUNG, SO I DESIGNED A PIECE THAT'S ABOUT 25 OR 30 FEET HIGH, KIND OF A SAFFRON YELLOW NEON.

AND ALSO I WANTED TO SHOW ONE OF THE EARLIEST NEON PIECES, THE GLASS FOREST, WHICH I DID ORIGINALLY WITH JAMIE CARPENTER IN 1971, WHICH MAKES THE 2 INSTALLATIONS ABOUT 40 YEARS APART.

I'M GONNA TRY--I'VE NEVER MADE A DRAWING OF THE NEON FOREST.

SOME MORE IRIDESCENT WHITE, PLEASE.

BETTER BRING ABOUT 3.

>> I GOT 3 DIFFERENT COLORS.

>> PERFECT.

I'LL JUST GRAB WHATEVER THE FIRST ONE IS.

THE NEON FOREST, 1971, 37 YEARS AGO, I GUESS.

AND JAMIE CARPENTER WAS A FRESHMAN WHEN HE CAME INTO MY OFFICE AND TOLD ME, COULD HE OR COULD I MAKE SOME GLASS FLOWERS?

'CAUSE JAMIE WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH BOTANICAL STUFF.

SO THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF ABOUT A 4- OR 5-YEAR COLLABORATION BETWEEN JAMIE AND I.

>> I JUST WENT TO HIM AND SAID, YOU KNOW, "I'M OBVIOUSLY VERY FASCINATED WITH GLASS, AND I'M NOT REALLY IN THE PROGRAM, BUT I WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW I CAN DO MORE WORK WITH GLASS."

AND I WAS SORT OF INTERESTED IN DOING SORT OF THESE PLANT FORMS.

AND THEN HE AND I JUST STARTED WORKING TOGETHER ON THINGS, AND I THINK WE JUST SHARED A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM FOR EXPLORING QUALITIES OF GLASS AND SORT OF-- I THINK WE HAD A VERY SIMILAR SORT OF WORK ETHIC IN THE SENSE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALWAYS UP EXTREMELY EARLY IN THE MORNING, WORKING IN THE MORNING.

AND I THINK WE WERE ALSO JUST VERY AMBITIOUS IN THE SENSE OF PRODUCING THINGS OF A SCALE WHICH HADN'T REALLY BEEN SEEN BEFORE IN GLASS, BLOWN GLASS PIECES.

>> I DON'T KNOW.

I LIKE THESE.

NOW THAT I LOOK AT IT, IT'S EXACTLY THE WAY THE PIECED GLASS LOOKS.

>> YEAH, IT DOES, DOESN'T IT?

>> YEAH, BECAUSE IT--WHEN IT DRAGGED UP.

THE PIECES ARE FAIRLY COMPLICATED TO MAKE.

I WOULD, YOU KNOW, MAKE ONE PART OF IT, AND THEN JAMIE WOULD MAKE ANOTHER PART, ANOTHER BUBBLE, AND WE'D BRING THE PARTS UP.

>> SO WE WERE QUITE KEEN ON JUST PUSHING SCALE IN A LOT OF WAYS, AND THIS WHOLE LIKE DRIPPING AND, YOU KNOW, PULLING IT, AND SOME PIECES, YOU KNOW, THE TWO OF US WOULD BLOW THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY.

AND SOME OF THOSE PIECES HAVE, LIKE, NOT JUST 2 BUBBLES, BUT A PUDDLE OF THAT GLASS MIGHT SPILL OUT, AND THEN AS IT SAT ON THE FLOOR, WHATEVER THE RESIDUAL MOISTURE WOULD BE IN THE FLOOR WOULD EVENTUALLY START TO INFLATE PART OF IT.

AND THEN YOU COULD CONTROL THAT BY JUST SLIPPING A LITTLE TWEEZER OR SOMETHING UNDERNEATH IT TO LET THE STEAM COME OUT THE SIDES.

SO YOU COULD ACTUALLY, LIKE, VERY EASILY CONTROL THOSE ALMOST AS IF SOMEBODY WAS BLOWING ON IT.

>> SO JAMIE AND I MADE THIS NEON FOREST WITH ABOUT A--IN THAT CASE, IT WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED PAS.

WE EVENTUALLY TOOK IT TO MUSEUM BELLERIVE IN ZURICH AND SHOWED IT THERE IN A GROUP SHOW.

WE REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT AT THAT TIME.

WE VERY OFTEN DESTROYED PIECES WE DID, AND SO I GAVE THE PIECE TO BELLERIVE, AND THEY HAD IT IN THE SHOW.

AND THEN WHEN THEY GOT DONE, THEY OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, SO THEY WALLED IT IN.

SO IT REMAINS AT THE MUSEUM, BUILT INTO A WALL.

I REALLY WANTED TO SEE THAT PIECE IN THE SHOW, AND SO I WAS GOING TO BORROW IT FROM THEM.

WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT BRINGING THAT PIECE BACK, I THOUGHT ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS TO SHIP IT OVER, AND I REALLY COULDN'T PROMISE THEM THAT SOMETHING WOULDN'T BREAK.

SO I DECIDED INSTEAD TO REMAKE THE PIECE.

>> YOU KNOW, GABBY'S GOT SOME NICE BUBBLING ON THE DOUBLE ATTACHMENTS, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THE PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE OTHER ONES, I MEAN, IT LOOKED LIKE THERE ARE SOME STILL WITH A NICE ROUND LITTLE WHOOP TO THEM.

BUT CLEARLY--I MEAN, CLEARLY I'M SEEING MOST OF THESE ARE PULLED, BUT WHAT--YOU KNOW, WE'RE REDOING THE SERIES RIGHT NOW.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BETTER?

YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?

>> SOME OF EACH.

>> YEAH.

>> HE DOESN'T LIKE WHAT KIND RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, WE'RE GONNA GO FOR THIS NOW.

YOU'LL SEE.

WE'LL DO THIS ONE NOW.

>> GOT IT.

>> I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.

>> JOHN, START ONE UP.

>> CHARLIE, YOU ALMOST READY, PAL?

>> I FELT THAT I'D RATHER DO IT OVER, AND IT ALLOWED ME TO, YOU KNOW, REDO A LOT OF THINGS, STRETCH THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

YOU MIGHT SAY I MADE THEM FRESH.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> EVERYBODY READY?

>> THAT'S A NICE SHAPE.

>> ISN'T THAT NICE?

>> IT'S OPEN, TOO?

I'M NOT BLOCKING... >> GOOD.

GOOD.

KEEP GOING.

>> ON THE ORIGINAL ONE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SUCKED IN KIND OF, MOST OF THEM.

>> OK. LET IT PUCKER IN A LITTLE.

OH, THAT'S REALLY GOOD.

>> OK, DON'T BEND THEM--DON'T BEND THEM ANY MORE THAN THAT.

>> HOW'S THAT?

>> THAT'S OK, BUT GO-- FROM THERE, JUST STRAIGHT.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> WE'LL KEEP THEM FAIRLY STRAIGHT.

>> OK, THAT'S-- >> NOW, EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT ARE GONNA GO ON THE GROUND AND THE WALL.

>> ALL RIGHT, COME ON OVER.

BLOW, CHARLIE.

GET DOWN.

GET DOWN.

GET DOWN.

BLOW JUST A LITTLE BIT, LITTLE MORE.

PULL A LITTLE BIT.

OK, NOW START COILING.

SEE WHAT YOUR MOVEMENT'S LIKE.

COIL.

LET ME SEE 'EM BEND.

LET ME SEE 'EM BEND.

LET'S GO DOWN.

LET IT GO DOWN, LONG.

THERE WE GO.

GOOD.

ALL RIGHT, CHARLIE, YOU WANT TO POP IT?

THAT WAS OUR FIRST TRY ON THAT.

THAT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.

>> OH, YOU GOT IT.

GOOD.

>> YEAH, THAT WAS PRETTY-- YOU KNOW, IT DIDN'T HAVE THE COOLING, THE SEPARATE COOLING OF THAT LAST ONE, BUT IT DEFINITELY HAD SOME BARS.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN THE 2 ARMS THAT WERE-- >> WE JUST NEEDED MORE GLASS.

>> YEAH, A LITTLE MORE--OH, YOU MEAN MORE AS IN THE WHOLE MASS ITSELF?

>> TO HAVE SOME OF IT RUN OUT.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

HOW DO YOU LIKE-- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR POWDER AND YOUR--I MEAN-- >> I THINK THIS POWDER'S GONNA BE GREAT.

>> YEAH, LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

>> YOU KNOW, IT'S A COMPLETELY DS A GOOD LOOK.

>> BE CAREFUL, JAKE.

>> POP IT.

>> NICE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> NICE.

>> BUT DON'T MAKE THEM ALL THE SAME.

HAVE A LOT OF VARIETY.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GONNA LOOK BEST.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> I WAS GONNA, YOU KNOW, KIND OF COPY THE ORIGINAL PIECE IN TERMS OF HOW IT WAS LAID OUT AND ALSO HOW THE PIECES WERE BLOWN, BUT, UM, I DECIDED TO JUST SORT OF LET IT GO ON ITS OWN.

THE PIECES ARE DIFFERENT.

THE LAYOUT IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT, MUCH MORE ORGANIC.

ORIGINALLY THEY WERE SORT OF STRUCTURED IN ROWS.

>> SO, I MEAN, I THINK WE WERE EXPLORING A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY--SORT OF SPATIAL INTERESTS, SCALE OF GLASS.

DALE HAS SORT OF REALLY-- HAS OBVIOUSLY PURSUED THAT, AND MOST OF HIS WORK IS CONSISTENTLY THIS EXPLORATION OF TECHNIQUE AND WHERE THAT LEADS, AND THEN DEVELOPING ANOTHER TECHNIQUE AND WHERE THAT LEADS.

SO IT'S REALLY A SEQUENCE OF, YOU KNOW, SORT OF EXPLORATIONS.

>> I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS RUNNING THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM IN THE EARLY 1970s, THE CURATOR OF AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY-- CONTEMPORARY, HENRY GELDZAHLER, CAME AND SAID, "THERE'S THIS RELY FABULOUS ARTIST, AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO BUY HIS WORK.

WE HAVE THE MONEY FOR IT," WHICH APPEALED TO ME A GREAT DEAL.

AND HE PUT ON MY DESK THESE 3 SMALL CYLINDERS.

DALE CHIHULY.

I SAID, "THESE ARE REALLY MARVELOUS."

AND TO THINK WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE EARLY SEVENTIES, WITH THESE 3 SMALL CYLINDERS, WHICH ARE INTIMATE, LOVELY, LOVELY SMALL WORKS, TO HIS CAREER SINCE THEN AND THE WAY HE HAS GRASPED SCALE AND MONUMENTALITY AND MADE IT WORK.

>> WELL, THAT'S NOT TOO BAD.

WE CAN PUT THESE UP IN THE SHOP TOMORROW.

YOU KNOW, ANY ONE OF THE COLORS WILL WORK.

DOES IT HURT IF THEY HAVE MORE STUFF IN THE OVEN?

>> NO.

>> SO GO AHEAD AND PUT ALL 4 COLORS IN.

MAYBEE'LL ONLY DO 2.

YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THAT SOME OF THIS SERIES, LET'S SAY LIKE THE CYLINDERS AND THE BASKETS, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN MAKING THEM FOR 30 YEARS OR SOMETHING.

BUT WHAT I DID HERE WAS TO DO THEM OVER, AND I DID THEM IN ALL BLACK.

AND SO, THEY WERE VERY NEW, AND I KIND OF ROLLED THE DICE TO PUT IN SOMETHING BRAND-NEW WITHOUT HAVING THE NORMAL LENGTH OF TIME TO REALLY ANALYZE THE WORK.

I DON'T KNOW HOW THIS WOULD LOOK, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY A VARIATION.

>> YEAH, I LOVE THIS COLOR.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL COLOR.

>> WE HAVEN'T DONE THIS, HAVE WE?

>> MM-MMM.

NOT INSIDE.

BUT WE SURE COULD.

>> IT'S A GREAT COLOR.

WHAT ABOUT THAT 79 ORANGE?

>> LOVE THAT.

THAT GOES MORE YELLOW THESE DAYS, BUT-- GOES MORE THIS.

>> ALL THOSE--ALL THOSE YELLOWS ARE GOOD.

WELL, THAT GIVES US SOME VARIETY.

[MUSIC PLAYING] YEAH, LET'S LAY OUT 4 BY 4, AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE THAT MANY THREADS IN BETWEEN EACH ONE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> THESE ARE MORE AWKWARD THAN THEY ARE HEAVY.

THEY PROBABLY WEIGH ABOUT 20 OR 25 POUNDS, WHICH IS QUITE A BIT OUT AT THE END OF THAT BLOWPIPE.

>> STAY RIGHT THERE.

STAY RIGHT THERE.

STAY RIGHT THERE.

GOOD, OK. >> ROLLING.

MY HAND, MY LEFT HAND.

OK, UP.

MORE.

MORE.

WHOO-HOO!

ALL RIGHTY.

NICE.

>> OH, THAT'S GOT A NICE TURN TO IT.

>> BACK IN THE SEVENTIES WHEN I STARTED THE SERIES, I WAS COLLECTING NAVAJO BLANKETS, AND SO I USED THE BLANKETS AS AN INSPIRATION FOR THE DESIGNS ON THE CYLINDERS.

AND I ALSO MADE THE GLASS BLANKET TO WRAP AROUND THE CYLINDER LIKE A REAL BLANKET WOULD.

AND EVERY 10 YEARS, I GO BACK TO 'EM AND REVISIT THE SERIES IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

>> LET'S SHOW SOME LOVE!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] >> YEAH!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] >> YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

>> ALL RIGHT.

HA HA HA HA!

>> HA HA HA!

>> THAT ROBBIE-- >> WOW.

WHOO!

BEAUTIFUL.

>> THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

>> THAT WAS A GOOD ONE.

MAYBE WE'LL DO A COUPLE ANIMALS OR SOMETHING AT SOME POINT.

>> YEAH, DO THAT.

>> YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT NOT-- IT WOULD BE HARD TO DO 'EM ON BLACK-- >> ON BLACK?

>> YEAH.

>> MAKE THE ANIMALS WHITE.

>> YEAH, WE COULD DO THAT.

LET'S DO A COUPLE HORSES OR SOMETHING.

>> WITH SOME THREADS RUNNING AROUND IT, OR-- >> YEAH.

>> JOY SAID YOU WANTED SOME WHITE HORSES.

>> YEAH, MAYBE JUST DO A COUPLE.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.

>> REMEMBER HOW WE DID A COUPLE WHERE THEY WERE IN THE FRONT, AND THEN THREADS WENT DOWN IN BETWEEN 'EM SOMEHOW.

THIS SERIES IS ALL BLACK, AND I'VE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE.

AND SO THE--A LOT OF THE THREADS FOR THE WEAVING ON THE BLANKET ARE WHITE, SO THEY REALLY POP OUT FROM THE BLACK SURFACE.

>> HEY!

>> LOVELY.

LOVELY.

>> GOOD TO SEE YA.

>> YEAH, THERE YOU GO.

PERFECT.

>> HERE WE GO.

>> NOW IT'S MELTING IN.

NOW HE'S GOT--IT'S ALL CROOKED, SO NOW HE'S GOT TO HEAT IT UP AND GET IT SYMMETRICAL AGAIN.

>> CAN YOU DO THAT?

GOOD.

THERE YOU GO.

ALWAYS LOSE THAT CHEVRON, THAT END.

>> [INDISTINCT] >> BEAUTIFUL.

>> YES!

>> HOT, HOT, HOT.

>> AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THE DRAWING DOESN'T TURN OUT LOOKING THE SAME AS IT DOES HERE.

THEN THE WAY THEY BLOW IT, THEY MIGHT TWIST IT BY ACCIDENT OR ON PURPOSE.

AND I THINK NOT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BLACK, BUT TO ONE SIDE.

>> GOT IT?

>> HOW MANY POUNDS OF GLASS WE GO THROUGH, JOEY?

>> IN THE LAST 2 DAYS, PROBABLY 800 POUNDS.

7 TO 8.

>> IT FEELS LIKE IT.

>> I'LL BET.

>> IT DOES.

>> CAN'T BEAT WHITE ON BLACK, MAN.

>> WHITE ON BLACK?

>> YOU CAN'T BEAT IT.

>> IT'S HARD TO BEAT.

>> THESE ARE MY FAVORITE OF ALL TIME.

BLACK JUST MAKES THE COLORS JUST BAM!

>> I ACTUALLY EVEN TOLD THEM TODAY TO BACK OF THAT 218 AND JUST PUT THE BLACK.

>> WHOA!

>> PUSH THAT PUNTY IN IF YOU CAN.

>> WE WILL.

>> WE'RE ONLY GONNA DO 3 DAYS OF THEM, SO I WON'T KNOW KIND OF WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH THEM UNTIL I REALLY LOOK AT 'EM AND DECIDE.

YEAH, THIS WILL BE A NICE SERIES.

>> YEAH.

HORSE HEADS.

>> WHAT ARE THOSE, MUSTANGS?

>> YEAH.

>> WELL, YOU HOPE TO BE MAKING THE RIGHT DECISIONS AS YOU'RE DOING IT, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REALLY TRICKY PARTS FOR AN ARTIST IS MAKING UP THEIR MIND WHILE THEY'RE WORKING WHETHER THEY'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK OR NOT.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

THEY LOOK GOOD TO ME, SO WE'LL SEE.

>> CHECK THE HORSES?

>> YEAH.

>> LOOK AT THE NEXT ONE OVER.

>> I THINK THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

OH, THAT'S A NICE INTERIOR COLOR.

>> LOOK AT THOSE HORSES.

>> GORGEOUS.

SET IT UP RIGHT HERE.

>> OK. >> MMM, YEAH.

>> YEAH.

THAT-- >> WE BETTER DO A COUPLE MORE OF THESE.

>> YEAH, BEAUTIFUL BLUE.

>> MICHAEL, TELL 'EM TO PUT IN A COUPLE MORE TURQUOISE.

>> OK. [MUSIC PYING] >> THE FORMS COME OUT OF THE PROCESS, AND HE PROBABLY HAS A GLASS LANGUAGE THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS IN HIS MIND.

AND HE KNOWS HOW TO ACHIEVE THOSE SHAPES AND WHAT TO DO TO CHANGE THEM AND WHAT TO DO TO EXPLORE NEW SHAPES.

>> THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.

>> LOOKS GREAT.

I'LL JUST REDUCE IT A LITTLE BIT.

>> YOU KNOW, THAT'S A LANGUAGE THAT'S IN HIS HAND-EYE COORDINATION, IN HIS MIND, AND IT'S--IT'S HIS.

>> CAN REALLY SEE THE DRAWING.

>> WELL, HE TRANSLATES THAT TO THE KIDS THAT WORK WITH HIM.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] >> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

>> THIS THE LAST FLASH?

>> YES, SIR.

>> LAST FLASH.

>> LAST FLASH.

>> FLASH, FLASH, FLASH.

[POP] >> [ALL CHEERING] >> WELL, I THANK YOU.

I'VE HAD MORE FUN IN THE LAST FEW DAYS THAN I'VE HAD IN YEARS.

>> GREAT.

I WAS SURE HOPING THAT YOU WOULD BE ON THIS ONE.

>> WELL, GOOD.

>> AND YOU WERE.

>> I'M HERE.

AND I'M HERE FOR THE NEXT ONE, TOO.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> SO, IT'S KIND OF LIKE JAZZ.

WE'RE IN THIS COMBO, AND WE'RE PLAYING.

AND YOU'RE PICKING UP WHAT I'M THINKING, AND I'M PICKING UP WHAT YOU'RE THINKING, AND...WE'RE PLAYING OFF EACH OTHER, AND IT SEEMS TO BE COMING TOGETHER.

SO WE-- WE SHOULDN'T CHANGE THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO SIT DOWN AND START TELLING YOU, YOU KNOW, "I THINK WE SHOULD GO HERE OR THERE."

IT'S REALLY WORKING SO BEAUTIFULLY.

LET'S NOT MESS WITH IT.

LET'S KEEP GOING.

CERTAINLY DALE, IF HE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF...TELLING SOMEBODY HOW TO DO THIS--I KNOW HE DOESN'T DO IT HIMSELF.

HE WOULD KILL THE DEAL, RIGHT AND YET, HE'S GOT ENOUGH OF A LANGUAGE GOING, HE'S GOT ENOUGH PROCESS GOING, HE CAN PLAY WITH IT.

>> THAT'S IT.

>> DALE, I THINK, HAS A CONVERSATION WITH WHAT HE PRODUCES AS HE'S HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING IT.

HE'S HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE ARTWORK AND THE PEOPLE, AND HE'S PLAYING.

>> SO, HERE IT IS ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE SHOW OPENS AT THE DE YOUNG, AND WE'RE LAYING OUT EACH PIECE ROOM BY ROOM HERE AT THE STUDIO AT BALLARD IN SEATTLE.

>> WE CAN BASICALLY TAKE THE FLOOR PLAN OF AN EXISTING EXHIBITION--IN THIS CASE, DE YOUNG--AND THEN MAP IT OUT ROOM BY ROOM BY ROOM.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BUILD WALLS.

WE HAVE A FULL CARPENTRY SHOP.

WE HAVE A FULL FABRICATION METAL SHOP.

SO, THERE'S FLEXIBILITY WITH A HOT SHOP BEING SO NEARBY THAT WE CAN ADD--WE CAN BRING NEW WORK UP.

WE CAN GET NEW WORK BLOWN, ADD TO THAT MOCK-UP, HAVE DALE LOOK AT IT AGAIN, SEE IF HE WANTS TO ADD OR SUBTRACT OR RAISE OR LOWER OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.

>> I REMEMBER THE HARDEST ROOM TO DO WAS THE ROOM WITH THE CYLINDERS WITH THE BLACK BASKETS.

WE DID THAT OVER SEVERAL TIMES.

I JUST COULD NOT MAKE THOSE BASKETS LOOK GOOD.

AND THEY WERE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PIECES IN THE SHOW.

AND YET, I COULDN'T-- I JUST COULDN'T GET--I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER NOW WHAT REALLY TURNED IT SO THAT IT WORKED.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> YES.

BOY, NICE AND THIN.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SHOW VERY MANY OF THESE IN THE SAME ROOM, ANYWAY.

>> 'CAUSE THEY'RE JUST SO BIG?

>> YEAH.

THEY'RE SO BIG, YOU'D ONLY WANT A COUPLE, I THINK.

>> HAVE IT?

LIFT.

>> NEXT!

>> THAT IS GREAT.

>> DO YOU LIKE IT THAT OPEN?

I MEAN, I FIGURED I WOULD REALLY TRY-- >> WELL, THAT WOULD WORK ESPECIALLY WELL IF YOU WERE TO PUT ANOTHER--YEAH.

LIKE, LET'S SAY--THAT'S THE SAME COLOR DOWN THERE, RIGHT?

>> THIS ONE, YEAH.

>> WHY DON'T WE TRY PUTTING THAT, FOR THE FUN OF IT-- >> THIS IS A NICE WIDE SHAPE FOR A SINGLE.

>> NO, THAT'S A BEAUTY.

BUT IT'LL ALSO BE A BEAUTY IN HERE.

>> YEAH.

>> HOW WIDE IS THAT?

THAT'S ABOUT 43 INCHES.

>> I BET IT'S 37.

44 1/2.

YOU'RE A LOT CLOSER THAN I WAS.

>> 44 1/2.

THAT'S ABOUT AS BIG AS THEY CAN GET.

YEAH, THESE ARE GREAT.

>> YEAH, THAT WILL LOOK GREAT IN THERE FOR SURE.

>> THE, UM--I MEAN, THE BETTER THE PIECES ARE, THE BETTER THE PAIR IS.

THE-- >> I KIND OF--JUST LIKE THAT.

>> HAVE--MAYBE HAVE THIS COMING DOWN OVER THAT.

WE'D HAVE TO PLAY WITH IT.

HAVE IT HANGING OUT A LITTLE BIT.

MAYBE IT HAS TO BE-- TRY THE OTHER WAY NOW.

YEAH, HAVING THIS COME OUT FOR THE FUN OF IT.

I MEAN, IT-- >> THIS ONE IS--YEAH.

>> YEAH, LOOK AT THAT THING.

GOD, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

>> THAT LOOKS GREAT FROM BACK HERE, BOY, DOESN'T IT?

>> IF THAT WAS IN A, YOU KNOW, IN A GALLERY IN A MUSEUM, IT COULD ALMOST TAKE A WHOLE ROOM.

HEH HEH HEH.

I--I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST PIECES WE'VE EVER DONE.

>> THAT'S REALLY A BEAUTY.

>> THAT IS A FABULOUS COLOR.

>> WHAT ABOUT MIXING THE COLORS?

YOU THINK I SHOULD TRY TO JUST KEEP IT ALL ORANGE, NOT ALL ORANGE, OR-- >> WELL, I JUST HATE TO-- YOU'RE SO HOT NOW.

I DON'T WANT TO HAVE YOU WORKING COLORS THAT--OH, YEAH.

WELL, THAT'S A NICE COLOR, TOO.

YOU KNOW, I SAID THE TALL ONES MIGHT NOT BE AS GOOD, BUT THAT LOOKS-- THAT LOOKS GOOD.

>> WELL, THIS IS THE TONES FROM THE MEDIUM ONES.

>> YOU KNOW, THE REASON THEY LOOK GOOD, I THINK, IS ALL THOSE WRINKLES.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> WHOA.

>> HAVE IT?

[POP] SET IT DOWN.

>> YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE DON'T WANT A LOT OF DIFFERENT COLORS.

MAYBE WE'RE BETTER OFF TO KEEP THE RANGE SMALL--THAT WAY, WE CAN MOVE 'EM AROUND.

>> YEAH.

>> AND WE WON'T WASTE ANY BIG ONE ON A BAD COLOR.

>> YEAH.

YEAH.

>> THE BRIGHT ORANGE, FROM WHAT I REMEMBER, IF IT GOT THICK ENOUGH, IT TURNED A REALLY RICH COLOR.

YOU KNOW, YOU'D GET 2 COLORS OUT OF IT.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

>> AND, UH-- [CELL PHONE BEEPS] I THINK THIS IS PARKS-- >> SOME OF THE YELLOWS WILL DO THAT, TOO.

>> YEAH.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S THE CADMIUM OR WHAT.

>> YEAH.

>> THIS IS DALE.

HEY.

HEH.

THEY ARE SENSATIONAL.

AND I--I JUST WANTED YOU TO SEE 'EM BEFORE THEY GET SHIPPED OFF TO TACOMA OR WHEREVER THEY GO.

WELL, NOW YOU CAN REALLY PUT ONE PIECE IN A ROOM.

THEY-- NOW, WHAT'S THAT PAIR FROM?

I'M JUST CHECKING ON-- >> THE BOTTOM ONE IS FROM YESTERDAY, AND THE TOP ONE'S FROM MONDAY.

>> PROBABLY THE BEST PAIR, THEY COME FROM 2 DAYS--ONE FROM MONDAY, ONE FROM TUESDAY.

OK, PARKS, BYE-BYE.

I JUST TOLD PARKS ABOUT THESE, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE WE COULD SUBSTITUTE, UM...

THERE'S ANOTHER BASKET PAIR IN THE DE YOUNG SHOW.

WHOA.

UP.

BEAUTIFUL.

BEAUTIFUL.

>> GRAB IT.

[POP] >> YES.

WHOA.

MAN, THESE THINGS ARE BIG.

[APPLAUSE] HEH HEH HEH.

ALL RIGHT.

THE REALLY CREATIVE PART OF THIS EXHIBITION IS DECIDING WHAT TO SHOW--WHAT GOES IN WHAT ROOM.

AND THERE WERE MANY WAYS-- MANY WAYS OF DOING IT.

MANY DIFFERENT THINGS COULD HAVE BEEN ED THAT WEREN'T.

AND ONCE I'D MADE THAT DECISION--WHICH I WAS, YOU KNOW, GONNA STAY FLUID ON.

I WOULD CHANGE THAT IF I--IF I DID A ROOM THAT I DIDN'T LIKE, I WOULD, OF COURSE, DONE A DIFFERENT SERIES OF WORK OR SOMETHING ELSE IN THAT ROOM.

BUT EVERYTHING I DECIDED TO DO, WE DID.

AND BY THE TIME WE PACKED UP THE MANY, MANY CONTAINERS THAT THE SHOW TOOK AND WE ARRIVED IN SAN FRANCISCO, EVERYTHING WAS READY TO GO.

THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUAL PIECES OF GLASS WHICH GO INTO MAKING ONE PIECE OF SCULPTURE.

AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE A THOUSAND BOXES THAT WE SHIPPED DOWN AS WELL.

I MEAN, IT WAS A BIG--IT'S A BIG SHOW.

NORMALLY, A MUSEUM INSTALLS AN EXHIBITION.

AND IN OUR CASE, IT'S GOTTA BE A TEAM OF PEOPLE FROM MY STUDIO THAT GOES TO THE MUSEUM AND UNLOADS THE CONTAINERS AND ORGANIZES EVERYTHING AND BEGINS TO PUT IT UP.

IT'S--THAT WOULD JUST BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR A MUSEUM STAFF TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> YEAH, THAT'S WILD THE WAY THAT'S TRANSLUCENT, ISN'T IT?

>> YEAH.

ISN'T THAT FANTASTIC?

>> YEAH.

[VEHICLE BEEPING] >> ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING FOR US HERE IN SAN FRANCISCO IS THAT THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS INCORPORATE 2 INSTITUTIONS--THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM, BUT ALSO THE LEGION OF HONOR IN LINCOLN PARK, WHERE DALE DID 3 MAGNIFICENT INSTALLATIONS REALLY EARLIER THAN THE GREAT PUBLIC SHOW THAT OPENED HERE AT THE DE YOUNG.

>> I WENT UP THERE AND LOOKED AT ALL THE GREAT COLLECTIONS AND THE BEAUTIFUL RODINS AND DECIDED I'D PUT A TOWER IN ONE SPACE AND A 3-TIER CHANDELIER IN ANOTHER...AND A TEMPLE OF THE SUN OUTSIDE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COURTYARD.

AND WE PUT THOSE UP 3 MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME SO PEOPLE WOULD HAVE A CHANCE TO IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT BE COMING WHEN WE INSTALL THE SHOW IN THE DE YOUNG.

>> I THINK ONE OF THE MOST FASCINATING ASPECTS ABOUT HIS WORK IS THAT NOTHING IS LEFT TO CHANCE.

EVERYTHING IS WELL THOUGHT OUT, A RESOLVED WORK OF ART UNTO ITSELF.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> WE SORT OF PUT THESE UP TO GIVE PEOPLE AN IDEA OF WHAT WAS COMING.

>> KIND OF LIKE A PREVIEW OR TASTE >> EXACTLY.

>> AND NOW YOU'RE GETTING THE LIGHT ON THE THING-- >> YEAH, IT'S COMING.

GETTING-- WE HIT IT JUST RIGHT, HUH?

>> YEAH.

>> WE'RE GETTIN' OUR VIEW.

>> QUITE AMAZING.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> QUITE AN ADDITION TO THE CITY.

I'M FROM OKLAHOMA, AND THEY HAVE YOUR PERMANENT COLLECTION IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> YES.

>> AND I THOUGHT, HOW NICE THAT YOU'RE HERE.

WHAT A MOMENT FOR ME.

>> WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> I COULDN'T BE MORE DELIGHTED BY THE PUBLIC RESPONSE TO THIS PARTICULAR EXHIBITION.

IN FACT, OVER 400,000 VISITORS CAME TO SEE CHIHULY AT THE DE YOUNG IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MAKING IT THE LARGEST-ATTENDED EXHIBITION EVER AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM AND, I DARESAY, ONE OF DALE'S MOST LARGELY ATTENDED EXHIBITIONS.

I THINK IT'S A KIND OF PROJECT IN WHICH THE PUBLIC FINDS INFINITE FASCINATION.

THERE ARE SO MANY LEVELS TO APPROACH DALE'S WORK.

THERE'S THE PURELY VISCERAL.

THERE IS ALSO THE CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THE ARTISTRY.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE'S THE "WHAT DOES THIS MEAN" AND "WHAT IS THE ARTIST TRYING TO SAY TO US?"

BUT OF COURSE, THAT IS ALL ABOUT DALE'S UNIQUE VOICE.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF I DID THE "GLASS FOREST" BECAUSE OF THE "NEON TOWER" OR IF IT'S JUST AN INSTALLATION THAT I'VE ALWAYS LOVED AND HAVE NEVER DONE AGAIN.

AND THE DE YOUNG SHOW REALLY KIND OF BROUGHT THAT OUT IN ME.

I DID SEVERAL THINGS THAT I'D NEVER DONE BEFORE--FOR EXAMPLE, THE INDIAN ROOM.

BEAUTIFUL.

>> THIS--I JUST LIKE THESE BEAUTIFUL VIGNETTES.

LOOK AT THIS COLOR-- >> I KNOW.

GORGEOUS.

>> TO MAKE IT SPARE LIKE THIS, YOU'RE COOL WITH THAT?

>> WELL, DON'T MAKE IT TOO SPARE.

>> NO, NO, I'M NOT GONNA MAKE IT TOO SPARE.

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU COULD MAKE THIS MORE SPARE IF YOU WANT.

>> OK. >> THERE ARE SEVERAL INSTALLATIONS IN THE 12 ROOMS THAT WERE NEW OR FRESH FOR ME, THAT MADE IT A LOT MORE INTERESTING FOR ME TO DO THE EXHIBITION.

>> HIS NEED FOR THE DIFFERENT AND THE NEW IS PART OF HIS ART.

I BELIEVE WHEN HE FIRST CAME OUT, PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WOULD BE A CRAFT FOOTNOTE THAT INVENTED A NEW ART FORM OR GAVE IT CREDIBILITY AND A CASH FLOW.

WELL, IS THAT TRUE?

YEAH.

BUT I THINK IT'S MUCH MORE, BECAUSE HE TAKES MY BREATH AWAY.

HE JUST SIMPLY TAKES MY BREATH AWAY, AND IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT HIM.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> THE BASKETS, I THINK, MOST READILY CONNECT TO THINGS WE SEE IN NATURE, BECAUSE NATURE IS OBVIOUSLY OPERATING ON THAT SAME BOUNDARY, YOU KNOW, LIKE OF THINGS CHANGING VERY RAPIDLY AND THINNESS AND EFFICIENCY OF STRUCTURE AND ALL THESE SORT OF PRINCIPLES OF SURFACES THAT EXIST IN NATURE.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK THEY'RE SO POWERFUL, ANYWAY, IN HIS PIECES.

>> THE GLASS ON TOP... >> LOOK AT THIS PIECE.

HE HEATS THE GLASS TO MAKE IT JUST HOT ENOUGH AND PRESSES IT ON, SO IT ALL MELTS--SO IT MELTS TO IT.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> PART OF THE DESIGN OF THE EXHIBIT IS, AS YOU WALK THROUGH IT, EACH TIME YOU COME INTO A NEW ROOM, IT'S A SURPRISE.

AND SO, FOR SURE, NOBODY WOULD HAVE SEEN ALL THE PIECES IN THERE.

THERE ARE GONNA BE SEVERAL SURPRISES, NO MATTER HOW MANY SHOWS PEOPLE HAVE SEEN OF MINE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING] >> ALL OF US HAVE BEEN INTOXICATED BY NATURE'S WAY OF CONVEYING COLOR OR MOOD AND EMOTION AND ENERGY TO US.

AND SO IT SPEAKS TO US AS HUMAN BEINGS, WHETHER WE'RE CHILDREN FIRST ENTERING THE WORLD OR OLDER PEOPLE ABOUT TO LEAVE.

SO OUR FIRST EXHIBITION RAN FOR 8 WEEKS.

NOW, WE DIDN'T CLOCK THE PEOPLE COMING THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT ON A GUESSTIMATE OF ROUGHLY HOW MANY CAME, IT WAS CLOSE TO 35,000 PEOPLE TO THIS SMALL GALLERY.

THAT'S A TRUE PHENOMENON.

SO WHAT WERE THEY LOOKING AT?

WHY WERE THEY COMING?

THAT'S THE QUESTION.

IT CROSSES ALL LINES OF LOGIC.

PEOPLE WHO ARE DETRACTORS CAME, BECAUSE THEY JUST WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THEY STILL FELT THAT WAY.

[CHUCKLES] OR IF THEY WERE GREAT LOVERS OF THE WORK, YOU DIDN'T KNOW IT BEFORE, SUDDENLY THEY SHOWED UP AND COMMISSIONED.

SOME OF THE MOST AVANT-GARDE COLLECTORS HERE, WHO YOU WOULD THINK WOULDN'T EVEN COME TO A DALE CHI--ALL CAME.

AND THEN THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAME.

THEY CAME IN VAST NUMBERS.

AND THEY STAY FOR QUITE LONG PERIODS OF TIME.

AN AVERAGE VISIT MIGHT BE FOR 45 MINUTES OR 35 AT THE LEAST.

I THINK, ACTUALLY, IT'S THE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ASPECT OF IT.

THAT LIGHT AND ENERGY AND THE THINGS THAT REJUVENATE US AS PEOPLE, AS HUMAN BEINGS, IS EVIDENT IN THE NATURE OF THE WORK ITSELF.

MAYBE THESE ARE IMPONDERABLE THINGS THAT PEOPLE CONNECT TO.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> THE IDEA OF TAKING A LOT OF PIECES AND ASSEMBLING THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY DON'T FUNCTION, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW ANYBODY WHO REALLY EVER REALLY THOUGHT THAT THROUGH BEFORE.

I MEAN, YOU THINK OF THE VENETIAN CHANDELIERS-- NOT DALE'S, BUT THE OLD ONES-- SOME OF THE EARLY ONES.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE VERY FUNCTIONAL.

THEY GOT SO MANY ARMS, SO MANY BRANCHES.

IT WAS PRETTY FORMULA STUFF.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT, LIKE, THE PIECE IN THE MUSEUM HERE, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FORMULAIC AT ALL.

IT HAS A TENDENCY ALWAYS TO EMANATE.

YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T SEE SOMETHING HERE AND SOMETHING HERE AND SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE.

IT EMANATES FROM A CENTER.

AND I THINK THAT BEING MADE OF PIECES IS SOMETHING I HAVEN'T--I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IN THE HISTORY OF GLASS OR EVEN IN THE HISTORY OF OBJECTS.

>> LOVE 'EM.

YOU'RE BACK TO THE SYMMETRICAL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I DON'T DO THESE CYLINDERS VERY OFTEN, AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'VE MADE 'EM IN BLACK.

AND THAT'S SUCH A NICE BACKGROUND FOR THE COLORS, FOR THE BLANKETS TO BE ON.

>> IT'S STRIKING.

IT HAS-- THEY LEAP OUT AT YOU.

THE BLACK IS PUNCTUATED BY THE GORGEOUS COLORS INSIDE, WHICH KIND OF GLOW FROM THE DEPTH.

I THINK THESE ARE ABSOLUTELY SOME OF YOUR BEST THINGS OF YOUR WHOLE CREATIVE LIFE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND THEY HAVE AN ENERGY THAT IS EQUAL TO SOME OF THE BEST THINGS YOU'VE EVER DONE.

WHEN YOU THINK OF THE IMAGERY THAT HE HAS INVENTED... AND ASK YOURSELF, "IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE FINE ARTS WITH THE SAME NUMBER OF INVENTIONS?"

IT'S HARD TO COME UP WITH ANYBODY.

AND DALE INVENTED MULTIPLE STYLES, MULTIPLE DIFFERENT IMAGES, SHAPES--WHICH IS THE SAME THING--AND, UH, I DON'T RECALL ANYBODY OTHER THAN PABLO PICASSO THAT DID THE SAME INVENTION OF MULTIPLE IMAGES, SHAPES, STYLES.

[MUSIC PLAYING] >> IT'S A KIND OF A PARADISE, RATHER RAPTUROUS KIND OF PARADISE UNBLEMISHED BY HUMAN PRESENCE.

SO, IT'S NOT ONLY PARADISE BEFORE THE FALL--WHICH I THINK HE'S ALWAYS BEEN PUSHING TOWARDS, MYSELF--BUT IT'S PARADISE IN NO NEED OF THE HUMAN, AND IT'S AN INCREDIBLE FUSION OF--WHAT SHALL WE SAY-- ART, THE AESTHETIC, AND NATURAL FORMS, NATURAL GROWTHS.

>> THE RELATIONSHIP TO HIS FORMS, TO PLANT FORMS, AND TO NATURAL LIGHT IS THE TRANSLUCENCY OF IT, THE COLOR...THE RISKS HE TAKES AND SUCCEEDS IN.

>> HOW THOSE ARE PUT TOGETHER FOR ME, IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT ARCHITECTURE THAN ABOUT OBJECTS AND HOW I WORK IN SPACE.

AND YOU'LL SEE THAT THROUGHOUT THE DE YOUNG SHOW--THE THRILL OF HAVING THIS, YOU KNOW, ROOM SORT OF OVERTAKE YOU IN A WAY SO THAT YOU'RE IMMERSED IN THAT TYPE OF WORK.

THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO.