US artist Lindsey Adelman presents a glass lamp titled Catch.[Photo provided to China Daily]

The Keep It Glassy exhibition makes glass' artistic value crystal clear.

Touch of brilliance

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The more than 200 pieces created by over 50 designers from more than 20 countries started with the concept of "serious" and turned it on its head to show the wild side of the art form that has long struggled to gain acceptance beyond that of craft.

Co-curator and art director of the Shanghai Museum of Glass Tilman Thurmer points out the venue has become known as a "serious" destination but the establishment would like to show the genre's other side - that is, its fun and unpredictability.

"Glass art is not only a serious matter," Thurmer says.

"(The process of) glass-making also conveys genuine and uncomplicated fun with this extraordinary material - trying and trying again to come to exactly the right design, or sometimes an unplanned mistake turning out to be a brilliant glass design."

The exhibition is divided into four sections.

The Supernormal shows everyday objects, such as a beer bottle. The Pun and the Fun is meant to entice guffaws with such exhibits as wine bottles crawling up the walls. Art in Design shows glass' functional strengths, such as to support a chair.

Cheers to That is not merely a bar but aspires to inspire visitors to crave a drink with a plethora of bottles and glasses on a table.

Mexican artist Andres Basurto created glass skulls.