Robert Larkin, Glass Artist

Robert Larkin has spent the past 27 years revolutionizing his artistic process, over the course of 6 collections. In order to truly be appreciated, Larkin’s pieces must be experienced in person. His latest collection reflects a unique, refined elegance not found in modern contemporary art. The linear composition and color schemes of his designs evoke inner harmony and balance. Each unique piece brings a zen-like wholeness, simplicity, and polish to a space. Larkin’s works enrich the walls, halls, and living spaces of some of the most posh and luxurious penthouses, homes, and offices in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Dallas, Austin, and Pennsylvania.

Like many artists, Larkin has found inspiration in the works of other artists like Frank Stella, Mark Rothko, Piet Mondrian, Ed Ruscha, Jesus Rafael Soto, Josef Albers, Laszlo Moholy-Nagy and photographer Julius Shulman. However, most of Larkin’s vision comes from post mid-century modern architecture and interior design. Larkin creates pieces with contemporary architecture in mind, like the works of Frank Gehry, Philip Johnson, Frank Lloyd Wright, I.M. Pei, Santiago Calatrava, Donald Deskey, Richard Meier, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Eisenman, and Tadao Ando.

While Larkin originally studied and pursued all methods and forms of art, his turning point occurred in the late 1980s, when he naturally gravitated almost exclusively to what he calls “contemporary chaos.” In 1987, he created his first collection based on it using mixed media.

In the late 80s and early 90s, Larkin began working with computer-generated graphic design. His breakthrough came when he began working with moving designs, spirals, for display on multiple, large video screens. The infamous Starck Club in Dallas was the first to fully coalesce his works into its night club experience, and these display experiences were later added to The Palladium in New York. While computer-based design was intriguing and intensive, he yearned to hold the raw, artistic materials in his hands again, and returned to mixed media.

In his early glass-art experimentation phase, Larkin worked with mosaic, but came to feel that everything that could be done with mosaic had already been done. He then transitioned to deliberately cutting glass, and began experimenting with geometric and linear shapes. He refined his glass-colorization process, and a new era emerged. Larkin’s 6th collection represents the pinnacle of his glass works. Every discerning collector or accomplished interior designer can experience the sublime in a Larkin glass piece.