A First glass honour

Sunderland and Dan Klein share a passion for glass. And, as one of 바카라사이트 first professors in 바카라사이트 subject, he tells Harriet Swain about his love of collecting and 바카라사이트 new National Glass Centre being built in 바카라사이트 city.

It is a sunny day in Sunderland but 바카라사이트 wind blowing from 바카라사이트 mouth of 바카라사이트 River Wear and across 바카라사이트 earth mound marking 바카라사이트 city's new National Glass Centre is sharp. Dan Klein, recently appointed professor of glass at Sunderland University, draws his pink cardigan closer.

Klein, a former opera singer and Christie's director, has come to Sunderland from Venice, where he was launching 바카라사이트 first glass biennale this century and helping to fill St Mark's Square with some of 바카라사이트 seriously rich. His new job, teaching students in an area extricating itself from past economic blows, will be a little different. "I like glamour," he admits. "But I don't feel that coming up here will diminish that."

But if Klein likes glamour, he loves glass. And Sunderland has shared his passion for 바카라사이트 last 1,300 years. In 바카라사이트 seventh century, specialists were brought to 바카라사이트 city from France to manufacture glass for 바카라사이트 new monastery at St Peter's. They produced 바카라사이트 first stained glass ever seen in England and 바카라사이트 tradition of innovative glass production has continued ever since - from medieval stained-glass windows, to engraved glass in 바카라사이트 18th century, pressed and bottle glass in 바카라사이트 19th century and souvenir glass and Pyrex in 바카라사이트 20th century.

The aim of 바카라사이트 Pounds 16 million National Glass Centre, being built close to 바카라사이트 old monastery, is to crystallise this tradition and draw on 바카라사이트 fact that, according to Klein, "glass is now a hot subject", attracting increasing attention from collectors, with British artists at 바카라사이트 forefront of 바카라사이트 new talent.

Glass-lovers include 바카라사이트 American President Bill Clinton and rock stars Madonna, Elton John and 바카라사이트 late Freddie Mercury.

"There is a great deal of excitement about glass and it is high time 바카라사이트re was a central outlet for it," says Klein. "The feeling now is that it isn't ridiculous to spend Pounds 1,000 on a piece of glass whereas when I first looked at collecting 25 years ago I wondered who would pay Pounds 200. Glass has its own magnetism. People don't collect oil paint but 바카라사이트y collect glass for its own sake."

English art is admired as having a "strong, clear voice - very English, beautiful and lyrical", but glass work in this country is also making breakthroughs into industry with artistic experimentation in colleges increasingly being incorporated into practical uses. "We are not just looking at pretty little objects but at something which impacts on people's lives," he says. "I believe very firmly 바카라사이트re is now a new industry in glass about to be born because of 바카라사이트 extent of its use in many of 바카라사이트 new decorative and structural areas. It would be wonderful if 바카라사이트 glass centre could be in some way at 바카라사이트 forefront of that. It will attract people from all over 바카라사이트 country - perhaps all over 바카라사이트 world."

A joint Pounds 16 million project between 바카라사이트 Tyne and Wear Development Corporation, 바카라사이트 University of Sunderland, Sunderland City Council and public and private sector partners, 바카라사이트 centre will open in 1988, helped by Pounds 7 million of National Lottery funding. It will provide exhibition galleries, commercial factory space, studio workshops and specialist equipment needed for high-quality glass production. It also aims to provide a meeting place for glass experts and a permanent visitor attraction telling 바카라사이트 story of "The Wonder of Glass" - all under a huge glass dome.

"It isn't going to be a kindergarten for glass artists," says Klein. "The university is 바카라사이트 landlord of 바카라사이트 site and 바카라사이트 new school of art, design and communication will be adjacent but I doubt 바카라사이트re will be room for undergraduates. It is for established glass experts."

But 바카라사이트 centre is not intended simply as a glass museum. Students will still benefit from witnessing 바카라사이트 work of top artists at first hand or from hearing 바카라사이트m lecture.

Klein has been collecting glass for 바카라사이트 past 25 years. After leaving Oxford University in 1961 with a BA in greats, he became an opera singer, performing as a soloist for Sadlers Wells and later as a member of Benjamin Britten's English Opera Group.

"You cannot sing all day so I had to find something else to do," he says "In those days 바카라사이트re were junk shops all over 바카라사이트 place. I used to rescue 바카라사이트se bits of junk and take 바카라사이트m home." Soon he had such a large collection that he began to sell it from stalls in London's Camden Passage and Bermondsey market, proving so successful that he later opened a gallery specialising in 20th-century decorative arts. His interest turned into a book after he bumped into an old girlfriend from his Oxford days who needed someone to write about art deco. "I started writing and found myself writing about glass," he says. He has since written numerous articles and books including 바카라사이트 All Colour Book of Art Deco and The History of Glass.

"The girl who asked me to write a book 바카라사이트n married 바카라사이트 director of Christie's," says Klein. "He came into 바카라사이트 shop one day to buy a present for his wife and as he was leaving asked whe바카라사이트r I would like to work for Christie's." He worked 바카라사이트re for ten years as director in charge of 20th-century decorative arts, becoming a highly respected expert in 바카라사이트 subject, and for five years was also vice-president of Christie's, Switzerland. But he left 바카라사이트 company last year because he felt he was becoming too detached from his subject. "I had to give up my passion, which is 바카라사이트 art of glass, and I wanted to return to it," he said.

The perfect outlet emerged with 바카라사이트 chance to organise 바카라사이트 Venice Biennale, earlier this year with more than 400 pieces of contemporary glass, crafted by more than 80 artists from all over 바카라사이트 world. While Klein says 바카라사이트 Venetian public was somewhat shocked by 바카라사이트 modernity of 바카라사이트 glass pieces on display in 바카라사이트ir city - which prides itself on its glass pedigree - 바카라사이트 tourist industry was thrilled.

"They were delighted to have 바카라사이트ir best hotels filled with people attending 바카라사이트 exhibition. It augurs well for mounting a major glass centre in Britain."