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Summary
Lothar Böttcher is an internationally recognised glass artist, curator, and educator based in South Africa whose practice spans over three decades. Rooted in a mastery of cold-working techniques, his work explores the sculptural potential of glass and has been acquired by major international museums and collections.
Collections include: Corning Museum of Glass (USA); Pretoria Art Museum (South Africa); Glasmuseum Frauenau (Germany); International Biennale of Glass Collection (Bulgaria).
Museum Representation & Collections
South Africa
- Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria
- Ellerman House, Cape Town
- ABSA Art Collection, Johannesburg
Germany
- Glasmuseum Lette, Lette
- Glasmuseum Frauenau, Frauenau
- Glasmuseum Hadamar, Hadamar
USA
- Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, N.Y.
Bulgaria
- International Biennale of Glass Collection, Tryavna
Professional Memberships
- Director & Chairman, MOYA African Glass Network, Southern Africa
- Board Member, Glass Art Society, International
- Board Member, Association of Arts, Pretoria, South Africa
- Founding Member, The Lathe Riders, International
- Member, Glasspool e.V., Germany
- Member, Bundesverband Kunsthandwerk, Germany
Gallery Representation
- Ebony Curated, Franschhoek, South Africa
- Schürenberg Kunsthandel, Aachen, Germany
- Chesterfield Gallery, New York, USA
- The Edge Glass Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
- Dawid M. Ras, Cape Town, South Africa
- Ark Contemporary, Rosendal, South Africa
Education & Training
- Glasveredlermeister, Fachrichtung Schliff, Teil I & II (Master Glass Cutter, Cold Working), Glasfachschule Zwiesel, Germany (2019)
- Geselle Glasveredler (Glass Cutter Journeyman), Staatliche Glasfachschule Hadamar, Germany (2000)
- Diploma Studies, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa (1992–1997) — Sculpture, Glass, Drawing, Printmaking, Photography
Further international training includes the Pilchuck Glass School (USA, 2003) and multiple masterclasses and symposium workshops across Europe, Africa and the USA.
Selected Achievements (2019–2025)
2025
- Course leader/teacher, Carving Light, Bild-Werk Frauenau
- Co-curator, Glass Now – African Perspectives, Association of Arts, Pretoria
- Catalogue contribution: New Glass Review 45, Corning Museum of Glass
- Solo exhibition Artefacts with Caitlin Greenberg, Pretoria Art Museum
- Exhibitions in Venice (Italy), Sofia (Bulgaria), Leerdam (Netherlands), Paris (France)
2024
- Elected to the Glass Art Society Board
- Founding member and director, Moya African Glass Network
- Represented South Africa at the Glass Cutting World Cup, Czech Republic
- Winner, 2nd Prize, Glass Art Competition, glasstec, Düsseldorf
- Organizer and presenter at the Glass Art Society Conference in Berlin
- International symposiums & curator of cross-disciplinary projects (Sweden, Germany, South Africa)
2023
- Solo exhibition: Changing Channels, Association of Arts, Pretoria
- Course leader, Carving Light, Bild-Werk Frauenau
- International Biennale of Glass presentation, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Cold shop assistant, The Glass Factory, Sweden
- Lathe Riders Symposium, Germany
2022
- Regional organiser, UN International Year of Glass
- Co-curator, Fired Up! – Celebrating Southern African Glass Art (Catalogue)
- Jury member, 7 Glass Wonders (International Year of Glass initiative)
- Solo exhibition: Precious Beasts, Ebony Curated
- Exhibitions at GlassTec (Germany), Toyama Glass Art Museum (Japan), and the Glass Art Society Conference (USA)
2021
- Virtual Presenter: Lathe Riders – Secrets from the Cold Shop, GAS 2021 Conference
- Curator: Blow Your Sculpture, Pretoria Art Museum
- Group exhibition: New Glass Now, Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, Washington DC
Awards & Publications (Selected)
- New Glass Review 45, Corning Museum of Glass (2025)
- 2nd Prize, Glass Art Competition, glasstec, Germany (2024)
- Fired Up! – Celebrating Southern African Glass Art Catalogue (2022)
- Catalogue contribution: Glass Now – African Perspectives (2025)
- Featured in New Glass Now, Corning Museum of Glass (2019)
- Multiple works in permanent museum collections globally
Exhibitions (Recent Selection)
Solo
- Artefacts, Pretoria Art Museum (2025)
- Changing Channels, Association of Arts, Pretoria (2023)
- Precious Beasts, Ebony Curated, Franschhoek (2022)
Group
- Glass Art & Design Paris, International Salon, Paris, France (2025)
- International Biennale of Glass, Sofia, Bulgaria (2025, 2023)
- Fluid Matters, Venice, Italy (2025)
- At the Tip of the Wheel, The Glass Factory, Sweden (2024)
- Glass Cutting World Cup, Czech Republic (2024)
- New Glass Now — Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, Washington DC (2021); Toyama Glass Art Museum, Japan (2022); Corning Museum of Glass, NY (2019)
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