Water Bag Artworks Made From Glass

Washington-based artist Dylan Martinez explores the boundaries of human perception with his series of hyper-realistic glass-blown water bags. At first glance, you might think these images are of ordinary plastic bags filled with water. However, you might be surprised to find out they are made of glass. 

The apparent trapped movement of the rising bubbles, combined with the form of the bag itself, convinces the eye that the sculptures are just as they appear.  Solid and weighing around 4,5-5 kilograms each, these incredibly realistic glass art pieces are complete with trapped, rising bubbles, ripple-like creases, and hand-tied knots. The works combine delicate goblet-making techniques with methods that render the bag’s heavy, “super-solid” bases.

Dylan’s art often examines the boundaries of human perception. His work challenges the viewer's expectations through the manipulation of light, space, and the optical properties of glass. While influenced by traditional techniques in glassmaking, he constantly strives to discover novel approaches to exploit the material and create a lens to view the world afresh.