Artist Kelly Akashi Creates Glass Chimney Memorial for 2026 Whitney Biennial to Honor Wildfire Losses
By
Josh Niland
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Summary
California artist Kelly Akashi has created a glass chimney sculpture titled 'Monument (Altadena)' for the 2026 Whitney Biennial. The artwork, made from 821 handcast glass bricks, serves as a memorial to her personal experience of loss from the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. The piece evokes the chimneys that remained visible on the charred landscape after the fires, transforming a symbol of destruction into a delicate, transparent memorial that explores themes of memory, loss, and resilience in the face of climate change and natural disasters.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledCalifornia-based artist Kelly Akashi has created a glass chimney to recount her personal experience of loss after the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles for the 2026 Whitney Biennial exhibition.
Titled Monument (Altadena), and made from 821 handcast glass bricks, the recreated chimney piece evokes chimneys that remained visible on the charred landscape in the aftermath of the wildfires.
The artwork transforms a symbol of destruction into a delicate, transparent memorial that explores themes of memory, loss, and resilience.
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