cremation urn

The American artist Richard Posner (1948–2011) worked in blown and stained glass and mixed media. His specialty was large outdoor public projects, and his artwork and installations were characterized by their intelligent content and plays on words, themes, and materials. One of his stained glass panels is on display in the Museum’s Modern Glass Gallery. After Posner’s death, two of his longtime friends—the artists Therman Statom and Buster Simpson—convinced Marquis to make marbles that incorporated Posner’s cremated remains as a tribute to him. Many artists who work with glass would like this to be their fate, and Posner would have appreciated the humor, irony, and poetry of it. Simpson and Statom later contacted the Museum, because they believed that it was important for some of the Posner marbles to go to Corning. While this may seem to be an odd request, it is actually very fitting, because American studio glass artists have a high regard for The Corning Museum of Glass, and they see it as a “home.” The marbles were donated to the Museum by Posner’s ex-wife, by the executors of Posner’s estate, and by Marquis.