Contemporary yellow glass vase, 10 x 8.5 x 11.25

Peking glass refers to the high-quality glass art produced by the imperial and commercial workshops in Beijing during the Ching Dynasty, China 1644-1911. Since then, "Peking Glass" has become synonymous with the Chinese technique of glassmaking. Robert Kuo glass pieces are made from the traditional Peking glass technique of forming hollow glass from layers upon layers of glass, by either free-blowing or mold-blowing and then sending it to the jade carvers for shaping and polishing. The glassblower begins with a piece of molten glass that is blown and formed into an initial shape. While still molten, another layer of molten glass is added to the piece and then blown some more. Depending on the effects desired in the final piece, as many as six layers of glass may be added. Different layers may be different colors or they may be monochromatic. Once the desired number of layers is achieved, the glass blower blows the glass into its final form. Once completed, the glass vessel must cool very slowly using progressively cooler kilns over a period lasting several days. If allowed to cool too quickly, the thick glass will craze and crack and the piece will be lost. Once cooled, the vessel is then finished. Depending on the form, the vessel may then need carving to create faceted sides. For this, the same methods and techniques used in jade carving are used on the glass. Carving and grainding the glass often cuts into the inner layers of glass, exposing the variation in colors of the different layers, be they monochromatic or multi-colored. The exposing of layers is used to add surface complexity and depth to the piece. Robert Kuo has experimented with color combinations of opaque and clear glass and with carving techniques to achieve a depth of color, surface interest, and richness not found in earlier pieces.

Robert Kuo expands the tradition by designing pieces that compliment the classic shapes while presenting a clearly contemporary attitude.