Artists

Liam Fleming is a Tarntanya (Adelaide, South Australia) based glassblower, artist and designer with an active practice of over ten years. Technically trained as a production glassblower, Fleming’s art practice is characterised by his unique sculptural objects. His work often an expression of his interest in the complicated relationship between craft, art, design and architecture.

Fleming is an active member of artist communities, particularly in Adelaide where he is alumni of University of South Australia’s visual arts program, the prestigious JamFactory training program and held the role of Production Manager and Design Manager for JamFactory glass studio for several years. Fleming’s work has been exhibited extensively, including as an annual feature in Melbourne Design Week. Internationally, his work has been displayed as part of London Design Week, Milan Design Week and in Berlin during Australia Now.

He has received numerous grants and scholarships in support of his work, including a full scholarship to attend the acclaimed Pilchuck Glass School in Washington, USA in 2018 and an Art Gallery of South Australia artist bursary in 2020. A renowned artist in his medium, Fleming was invited as a speaker and demonstrator at the 2018 International Glass Art Society conference in Venice, Italy and the 2019 Australasian Glass conference in Whanganui, New Zealand. Additionally, he has been recognised as a finalist in several prestigious awards including JamFactory Fuse Glass Prize 2018 & 2022, Art Gallery of Western Australia Tom Malone Glass Prize 2019, The Design Files Design Awards 2020 & 2021 and Art Gallery of South Australia Ramsay Art Prize 2021.

Fleming has been invited to undertake artist residencies in Delhi, India, Oaxaca, Mexico, Murano, Italy and Seattle, USA. In 2022, he fulfilled the acclaimed Artist in Residence position at Canberra Glassworks, ACT. Fleming’s successes as a glassblower, artist and designer recently resulted in him being awarded the prestigious 2021 Guildhouse Fellowship, which will accumulate in an exhibition at Art Gallery of South Australia in late 2023. His works are held in private collections both nationally and internationally and in the public collections of Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

“My work aims to creatively demolish the pre-existing ideas of perfection and regimes I have created for myself through years of production glassblowing. Simple mould making allows me to create a vocabulary of forms, used to compose and to contribute to the conversation between craft, art, architecture and design. Industrial glassblowing techniques are employed to build structures that are treated to a playground of obstacles and destruction. In exchange, I gain the chance to capture a moment that is playful and redeeming”. Liam Fleming, 2024