Gene Koss (b. 1947) is a pioneering figure in the contemporary glass art movement, renowned for his monumental sculptures that fuse cast glass, steel, and light. A central theme throughout his fifty-year career is his deep connection to the landscape and agrarian life of his native Wisconsin. By transforming memories of mechanized farm machinery into powerful, foundry-based glass sculptures, Koss bridges the gap between industrial grit and refined artistic expression.
Koss earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin at River Falls in 1974 and a Master of Fine Arts from the Tyler School of Art, Temple University, in 1976. That same year, he moved to New Orleans to develop the glass facility and program for Tulane University, where he served as department head for many years and built one of the most influential glass programs in North America.
His signature technique involves casting molten glass into wooden molds—a process he pioneered—which creates expressive, organic edges that contrast beautifully with structured elements of steel and stone. While his work ranges from large-scale, farm implement-inspired installations to intimate, complex sculptures, each piece serves as a study in balance and form.
Koss’s work has been the subject of numerous solo exhibitions, including frequent presentations at the Arthur Roger Gallery, and has been featured in museums and galleries internationally, including the Sculpture Center in New York City and the International Biennale for Contemporary Art in Florence, Italy. His pieces are held in prestigious permanent collections, such as the New Orleans Museum of Art and the Corning Museum of Glass. In 2019, Gene Koss Sculpture was published by Arnoldsche Art Publishers, documenting his career and artistic achievements.