give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door (2023), chain-link fence, steel, stained glass, lead, and aluminum, 48 x 38 x 6 inches. All images courtesy of the artist and Sebastian Gladstone Gallery, shared with permissionTimo Fahlers Stained-Glass Sculptures Question Symbols and Curtailed FreedomsFebruary 5, 2025ArtSocial IssuesKate MothesThe creation of stained glass can be traced back to ancient Egypt and Rome, but we most often associate it with its popularity in Western Christianity, as in the biblical narratives adorning chapels and cathedrals. For Timo Fahler, this tradition forms the foundation of a multimedia practice influenced by Mesoamerican codice imagery, national symbols, and motifs found in older European churches.Stained glass is a storytellingmedium in which I get to draw from everything I experience, everything I study, read, believe in, and even distrust, Fahler tells Colossal. We are floating in a unique era of questioning reality, the last gasp of the living generation before automation integrates itself via AI, ChatGPT, and digital interface. He views his practice as depicting this era and even, in a way, immortalizing it.topos haliaetos for the bald eagle; topos chrysaetos for the gold eagle/Mexico (2023), steel, cast iron, stained glass, lead, tin, and obsidian, 27 x 41 x 2 inchesFahler first worked with lampworking glass while studying ceramics at the Kansas City Art Institute, which sparked an ongoing interest in the medium. Recently, he began incorporating it into what he calls rebar drawings, which form the foundation of much of his work. I was curious about letting the unpredictability of light become a part of the materialsI work with, the artist says.Many of Fahlers sculptures are framed or supported by heavy-duty metals like rusted steel, iron fences, and gates. Stained glass hovers a few inches from the wall, casting colorful shadows. For his most recent works, Fahler places barriers atop the glass to consider not only the viewers relationship to the image but also the implications of people being barred from freedoms and knowledge. I draw from a lot of different sourceshistorical, mythological, and fantasticalall of which encompass my heritage,' the artist says.In a piece titled after the poem New Colossus by Emma Lazarus, which is carved in bronze on the Statue of Libertys pedestal, Fahler uses a gate to frame a detail of Lady Libertys arm constructed of tiny glass squares soldered to the facets of a chain-link fence. Historically a potent symbol of welcome, amnesty, and inclusiveness, the statue in this context references how today, new immigrants access is more troubled and often blocked.Serpents, dragons, eagles, and landscapes merge with realistic portraits and references to historical moments and national emblems, like Mexicos crest featuring a golden eagle on a cactus with a snake in its talons. The image centers on the nations flag, representing the resilience, bravery, and spirit of the Mexican people. Echoing his representation of the Statue of Liberty, the icon is barricaded, merging with iron bars.I against i (2024), found fence, steel, stained glass, grisaille, glass, and lead, 53.5 x 53 x 7 inches. Photo by Nick MasseyFahler is currently working on a solo presentation with Sebastian Gladstone this autumn. He and his family just moved to Amsterdam, where he shares hes beginning from a zero-point/clean canvas in a new studio, and he plans to explore ideas around the complexities of sovereignty, expatriation, and a quickly evolving global society.The world is changing so quickly that we cannot collectively understand, let alone keep up with it! he says. Im excitedto be working on all of that and look forward to the body of work that depicts it. Find more on Fahlers website and Instagram.two-headed serpent (2023), mirror steel, cast iron, stained glass, copper, and lead, 30 x 45 x 4 inchesfever dream (2024), found gate, steal, stained glass, grisaille, and lead, 32 x 84 x 6 inches. Photo by Nick Masseytwin serpents (2024), steel, stained glass, lead, and rebar, 70 x 64 x 64 inches. Photo by Nick MasseySpace Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) (2023), fence, steel, stained glass, and lead, 64 x 59.5 x 3.5 inchescopper zen mountain (2023), rebar steel, stained glass, lead, and copper, 30 x 40 x 6 inchescode switching (2024), found chain-link fence, steel, stained glass, and lead, 64 x 48 x 8 inches Next article