Pac- Man Ghosts
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Dylan Martinez — H20/sio2 Water Bags For Sale
Dylan Martinez makes glass sculptures of plastic bags filled with water. The bags are tied at the top, slightly misshapen from the weight of the water inside, and completely convincing. They are made entirely from hot-sculpted, sandblasted, and acid-etched glass, and they look nothing like it.
The work is built around a simple premise: glass and water share enough visual properties that, handled correctly, one can pass for the other. Martinez has spent years refining exactly how to do that. The surfaces on these pieces replicate the transparency of plastic, the stillness of water, and the way light moves through both. The series also includes Bubble Fish 15, a water bag with a skeleton fish suspended inside it. It extends the concept of the water bag beyond the container itself and introduces something that was once living into the illusion. It is among the more unusual works in his catalog.
4 works available
Five Facts About Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags
- 01
H2O/SiO2 is Dylan Martinez's signature series of hyperrealistic hand-blown and hot-sculpted glass sculptures made to resemble plastic bags filled with water.
- 02
The series title references the chemical composition of water (H2O) and glass, or silicon dioxide (SiO2), pointing directly to the material illusion at the heart of the work.
- 03
Each sculpture is individually hot-sculpted and hand-molded, then sandblasted and acid-etched to replicate the visual properties of a tied, water-filled plastic bag, including the appearance of trapped air bubbles.
- 04
Martinez has stated the H2O/SiO2 water bags are the body of work he is most proud of, and it is the series most associated with his international recognition.
- 05
In 2024, thirty-five of Martinez's water bag sculptures from this body of work were exhibited as part of Personal Structures at the Palazzo Mora, Venice, held in coordination with the Venice Biennale, and were acquired on opening night by the private collection of Robert and Karen Duncan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I buy Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags prints for sale?
Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags prints for sale are available at Guy Hepner Gallery, 177 Tenth Avenue, New York. We offer authenticated editions with full provenance documentation sourced from the secondary market and directly from publishers.
Are Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags works limited editions?
Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags works — 4 available — are typically produced as limited editions, individually signed and numbered by the artist. Contact Guy Hepner Gallery for edition details on specific works.
How much do Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags prints cost?
Pricing for Dylan Martinez H20/sio2 Water Bags prints varies by edition size, date, and condition. Contact Guy Hepner Gallery for current market pricing and availability.
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