Articles in the Catholic Weeklies introduce us to Fr. Cho Kwang-ho, a professor in the Incheon Catholic University of Art and Design. His new art-stained, glass negative layer method of making stained glass will change, it has been said, the way we look at stained glass making. He has received a patent on the invention.
Stained glass, as we know, has been used in churches for hundreds of years, but is not limited to churches; it is seen in many commercial buildings and even in subways. Fr. Cho is a representative of the Korean Research Institute of Art and Design, and has worked with stained glass for many years. His method is cheaper, takes less time and, since lead will not be used, is environmentally friendly.
The technique, as in printing, uses a dye that is spread uniformly on the surface of the glass pane that has the desired design. The glass pane is then heated over 700 degrees Celsius. With the old methods, one is limited in many ways; with this method you can determine easily the colors, the brightness, saturation, and gradation of colors. And, in addition, it can capture what is lost with the old methods: the fine details such as hairs of the head and the texture of clothing.
In the years of working in art, he has felt many limitations in what he could do. Fr. Cho studied art in Germany; with his studies in stained glass, etching, and icons and the experience in Korea came up with this new way of making stained glass.
Fr. Cho has shown the practicality of this way of working with stained glass in his many creations that now are located throughout Korea. They have stood up well with the passage of time. He eagerly looks forward to making the method better known at the Construction Material Exhibition in April this year.
