If you look at the creations of Swiss artist Simon Berger closely, they would appear to be acts of vandalism. However, it is only when you take a few steps back that you realize that the cracks in the smashed glass panes actually create clear and intricate portraits and images.
Simon Berger admits that as an artist, he wanted to be taken seriously and to attract attention. The best and the easiest way of doing that was to make use of materials or a creative technique that had not been used before. This led the skilled carpenter to choose laminated glass since it is not a popular artistic medium. He started carrying out experiments with it and came up with an original technique that requires him to smash the glass with hammer and chisel creating recognizable but complex patterns.
Once he was able to develop his skill, Simon Berger became capable of using this method of destruction for creating mesmerizing human portraits that are only visible from afar. Simon Berger commences the process by capturing pictures of models whose portraits he wishes to create by smashing onto panes of laminated glass. He then takes this pictures and processes them on his laptop and prints out the final version. Once he is all set to begin work on the pane of glass, he relies on a market for marking the areas that need to be smashed using the hammer more and those that should not be smashed at all.
Simon Berger says that the areas that require only a bit of smashing are the hardest to pull off. Why does he opt for laminated glass? It is because it doesn’t shatter the very first time you make an impact using a hammer or chisel. Nonetheless, the way Simon is able to control even the smallest of details with the development of cracks is nothing short of stunning. Simon Berger says, ‘Human faces have always fascinated me. On safety glass, these motifs come into their own and magically attract visitors. It is a discovery from abstract fogging to figurative perception.’