Dale Chihuly is a groundbreaking glass artist known best for his vibrant, large-scale installations that push the boundaries of the medium. After a 1976 car accident left him blind in one eye, he had to change how he worked with glass. Instead of stepping back, he reimagined his process, embracing collaboration and allowing asymmetry to become a defining element of his style.

He recalls, “In many ways it was a transformative period for me. It took months for me to recuperate and gave me lots of time to think about my work and my direction as an artist. After the accident, due to the loss of my eyesight and depth perception, I became more of the director of my team. Working in this capacity enabled me to work on a much larger scale, and I really began to push the material more."

Chihuly has also spoken candidly about living with bipolar disorder, sharing how it influences both his art and his way of navigating the world. His openness has helped spark important conversations about the relationship between mental health and creativity. Confetti Chandelier’s swirling forms and bold colors can serve as a reminder of the power of adaptation, imagination, and persistence.

Dale Chihuly (American, born 1941), Confetti Chandelier. Blown, tooled, cut, and polished colored lead glass with steel armature, March 2000. 53 × 52 × 52 in. (134.6 × 132.1 × 132.1 cm). Gift of Sara Jane DeHoff, 2018.23. On view in the Director’s Conference Room (open to the public).

Image Description: Confetti Chandelier is a large glass sculpture that hangs from the ceiling, made up of many individual pieces of hand-blown glass in multiple colors. The pieces are long, narrow spirals. They are layered closely together and extend outward in all directions asymmetrically, creating a full, clustered form that appears to radiate from the center.