Meet Jan-Joop Ruisch

Jan-Joop Ruisch is a Dutch glass artist specialising in optical glass sculptures that create illusions of dimensional depth. Born in Rotterdam, he discovered his passion for glass through salvaged stained glass windows from demolished houses in his neighbourhood, captivated by their vivid colours and luminous qualities.

Beginning with stained glass in 1985, Jan-Joop transitioned to sculptural work in 1988. A pivotal encounter with Czech artist Pavel Satrapa at the International Glass Symposium in Novy Bor taught him advanced cutting and polishing techniques for optical glass, leading him to establish his own studio.

“Sculpting with glass is a tri-dimensional expression” says Ruisch. “The sculptor can even play with light and shadow. Optical glass brings the sculptor in a position where he can create a 4th dimension. A perfectly polished outer surface becomes a mirror inside the glass, where light is reflected and refracted. This makes the object react to the position of the viewer. From a different position the object will look different. It is therefore, impossible to get a real impression from one picture”.