Château Haut-Brisson – Andy Paiko

The creation of this artist is quite particular for the Chateau Haut-Brisson. The whole idea emerged when the owners came across an image of his chandelier for chef Daniel Boloud’s restaurant Le Pavillion in midtown New York City, and absolutely loved it. From this moment on, the project was launched, and dozens of emails flew back and forth over the Atlantics moving it forward, since the artist was not able to have site visits due to the international nature of the project and his tight working schedule.

Andrew Scott Paiko is a rara avis in this industry of millenary tradition. This passion for glass craft began as a vocation that he originally tried for fun with a friend who was interested in it. While pursuing his education in business, however he chose every opportunity to practice glassmaking part-time. Over the years it became a full-time occupation that eclipsed all previous career plans.

Moreover, uncommonly for the world of glassmaking, for a variety of reasons he has developed over the time a way of working by himself, without assistants, from start to finish. Much of his work is constructed from multiple parts, often including non-glass materials, brought together into a summary whole, forming sophisticated and complex sculptural objects and compositions that are designed to function in unconventional ways.

Fascinated by sciences and natural world – from mechanics and engineering to history and art of decoration, and further to mycology and biology – Andy tends to move beyond single-dimensional format of objects and examine the role of glass in relation to its multifunctionality.

His creation process is often accompanied by instrumental music of all genres – from classical piano to ambient electronic, afrobeat to reggae, psychedelic funk to disco, classic rock to electropop – which helps his better concentration in the hotshop.

This is how he describes the most enchanting moment in his work:

“When several discreet components designed and sculpted to relate to one another fit together as one seamless functional unit. When the viewer cannot see or understand the connections or how the piece is constructed or even what it is made of… When myself or the viewer is allowed to experience a moment of unfamiliarity, wonder or of the “never-before-seen”; even the “presque-vu” or “almost-seen”.”

Basing on the concept of glass as an indispensable companion to wine – whether in the form of a bottle, a goblet, a flute, or a vessel – putting on display the visual aspect of this grape elixir, his installation for Chateau Haut-Brisson presents skillfully sculptured blown-glass elements suspended on cables creating an extravagant sort of permeable screen. An intriguing lightning system with programmable LEDs that provide a variety of effects and accentuate the interplay of reflected and refracted light elevates the impact. Placed in the degustation area, this custom object gives a special charm to the surrounding space and may be even seen as a meditation facilitator to contemplate over a couple of Haut-Brisson vintages.

His own preferences in wine go towards robust cabernet. Although spending a year in Italy while working with famous Murano factories have added prosecco and dry white varieties to the list. Andy’s characteristic symbolic approach to glassmaking resonates with a flattering plethora of private clients, museums, and public institutions – all over his native United States, as well as in other countries, such as Belgium, Canada, Japan, and South Africa. For example, one of his favorite pieces, the Spinning Wheel – an inventive kinetic sculpture – is now in the permanent collection of the prestigious Renwick Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington DC. He is a regular participant of craft and design shows, and his works appear frequently in lifestyle US press. On top of that, his professional record features collaboration with film and television production.

Perpetual student and collector of the strange and beautiful, he is particularly keen on creating unusual and odd pieces. The idea might originate from a client – like a glass polygraph machine commissioned by a law firm, – or come up on its own – like, for instance, a metronome for keeping time or a model of an oil-extraction pumping device as a comment on glass-making’s heavy carbon-footprint.

His constant search for inspirational “never-seen-before” and moments of everyday magic lead him to quiet strolls in the countryside and seaside, cataloguing birds and plants and enjoying natural environment. Hopefully, one day his path will bring him to Chateau Haut-Brisson.