JEFF ZIMMERMAN: glass light nature

MANITOGA: sept 13 – nov 16, 2025

presented in collaboration with R & company

Manitoga / The Russel Wright Design Center is pleased to announce Jeff Zimmerman: Glass Light Nature, a solo exhibition by the acclaimed glass artist in dialogue with the unique environment of Dragon Rock at Manitoga.

As a sculptor trained in classical Venetian glass blowing methods, Jeff Zimmerman creates artworks which actively engage the practical history of the craft while emphasizing light, color and nature to center the aesthetic and emotional experience of functional lighting. Glass blown sculptures and lighting fixtures inspired by natural motifs and organic structures illuminate the interiors of Dragon Rock. Both fine and functional, Zimmerman’s experimental techniques, innovative forms, and celebration of nature evoke the design legacy of Russel and Mary Wright and their shared vision for Manitoga.

EXPLORE WORKS ON VIEW

On view Sept 11 through Nov 16, 2025 with Tour Participation and during special programs and events.

On Saturday Sept 27, two special tours of Glass Light Nature will be presented with special guest Brett Littman, Director of Shakkei LLC and contributor to the publication JEFF ZIMMERMAN, GLASS LIGHT NATURE (2025, R & Company and Monacelli). Littman is the former Director of the Noguchi Museum and former Associate Director of UrbanGlass where Jeff Zimmerman taught for several years.

Photos by Logan Jackson. Courtesy of R & Company and the Artist.

JEFF ZIMMERMAN

Trained in the classical Venetian approach to glass blowing, Jeff Zimmerman has pushed the boundaries of glassmaking for over three decades, producing sculptural objects that actively engage with the experience of light, color, and the natural environment. His approach, which emphasizes the aesthetic and emotional experience of functional objects, has inspired a generation of lighting designers.
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R & COMPANY

For over 20 years, R & Company has championed collectible design, advancing the contemporary marketplace and actively growing a global collector base and clientele. Its founders, Zesty Meyers and Evan Snyderman, are widely recognized for identifying rising talent, deepening scholarship about collectible design, and developing new avenues for growth in the industry.

The gallery is committed to nurturing and sustaining the markets and careers of both emerging and established designers, as well as to maintaining and expanding commercial and academic interest in historical design. Its roster features a wide range of designers from around the globe, including Wendell Castle, Rogan Gregory, Greta Magnusson Grossman, the Haas Brothers, Serban Ionescu, Hun-Chung Lee, Joyce Lin, Roberto Lugo, Richard Marquis, Jolie Ngo, Sayar & Garibeh, Katie Stout, Joaquim Tenreiro, and Jeff Zimmerman, among others. Through its acclaimed exhibitions, publications, and fair presentations, the gallery has become a sought-after leader in the field, fostering relationships with an array of collectors, cultural leaders, dedicated patrons, and scholars.  
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In 1990, Meyers co-founded the radical performance collective the B Team. The group including members Evan Snyderman and Jeff Zimmerman redefined the boundaries of glass as a medium by integrating molten glass into live performances that combined elements of craft, fine art, and theater.

BRETT LITTMAN

Brett Littman is the Director of Shakkei LLC (“borrowed landscape” in Japanese) a consulting firm that develops organizational specific strategy and solutions to complex curatorial, management, programmatic, operational, entrepreneurial and legacy issues. Clients have included: the Charles and Ray Eames House Preservation Foundation, the Fondazione Peccioli Per L'Arte, La Cultura, La Solidarieta, UAP, Dieu Donne Papermill, Daniel Brush Estate, and several other artists and artist foundations.

He was the Senior Director, US of Carpenters Workshop Gallery from 2024 - 2025, Director of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and Garden Museum in Long Island City, New York from 2018 – 2023, Executive Director of The Drawing Center from 2007–2018, Deputy Director of MoMA PS1 from 2003–2007; Co-Director of Dieu Donné Papermill from 2001–2003, and Associate Director of Urban Glass from 1996–2001.

The 2025 Art + Design Residency is made possible through support from the Sara Little Turnbull Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Manitoga’s Board of Directors, Leadership Council, Design Circle and the 2025 Art + Design Host Committee.