The Arthur Roger Gallery is pleased to present Amongst the Vines, an exhibition of recent sculptures by the internationally renowned glass sculptor Gene Koss. The exhibition will be on view at 432 Julia Street from March 7 through April 18, 2026. The gallery will host an opening reception with the artist in attendance on Saturday, March 7, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

For over 50 years, Gene Koss has pioneered the use of cast glass as a monumental art form. This exhibition highlights his enduring connection to the landscape, nature, and the agrarian life that has long served as his primary inspiration. The featured works draw specifically from the topography and rural coulees surrounding his small farm and studio in Wisconsin.

The center of the exhibition is the massive showpiece, Amongst the Vines (2026), a steel and cast glass sculpture measuring over 16 feet long. This work, along with others like Coulee Bluff and Granddad’s Bluff, showcases Koss’s mastery of his signature technique: casting molten glass into wooden molds. This intuitive process creates expressive forms with rough, organic edges that contrast beautifully with structured elements of steel and stone.

While much of the work is rooted in the American Midwest, the exhibition also reflects the artist’s recent travels, with pieces such as Kaldidalur Valley Mountain inspired by international landscapes. From the large-scale “showpiece” installations to smaller, intimate works like the Baler Trap series, Koss continues to push the physical and aesthetic boundaries of his medium.

Gene Koss received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls and his Master of Fine Arts from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University. In 1976, he moved to New Orleans to found the glass program at Tulane University, where he served as department head and built one of the most influential programs in North America.

A recipient of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Pace-Willson Art Foundation, Koss has exhibited at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Sculpture Center in New York, and the International Biennale for Contemporary Art in Florence, Italy. His work is held in prestigious permanent collections, including the Corning Museum of Glass and the Pan American Life Collection.