EP 64: Luminous Phenomena: Rïse Peacock’s Artistic Journey and Curatorial Intersections at CMoG

Sponsor

This episode of Taming Lightning is sponsored by the Corning Museum of Glass. Home to the world’s most comprehensive collection of glass, the Corning Museum of Glass is the perfect excuse to take that trip to the Finger Lakes. Come and explore 3,500 years of glass masterpieces from around the world.

Witness the cutting edge of modern glass art from some of the biggest names in the game. Spectate master glass artists in live, narrated glassblowing demonstrations, and if you’ve been looking for a way into the glassmaking world, head to the Studio for a Make Your Own Glass experience! It’s a great, affordable way to see if glassmaking is for you. No matter what brings you in, the Corning Museum of Glass will help you see glass in a whole new light.

Learn more today and plan your trip at cmog.org.

Hello Lightning Tamers!

Percy here, this is episode number 64. In today’s podcast, I’m excited to welcome Rïse Peacock, an artist, curator, and educator with over a decade of experience in the educational and nonprofit art sectors. Currently the first Curatorial Fellow of Postwar and Contemporary Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass.

image from Corning Museum of Glass Youtube video “Masterpiece in a Minute | Rïse Peacock”

Rïse approaches curating, teaching, and artmaking from an interdisciplinary perspective, with a specific focus on queer histories, material culture, and luminous phenomena.

They have curated notable exhibitions such as Big Mood and the Women Create Biennial in Jamestown, NY. Today, we’ll dive into Rïse’s curatorial work, their artistic journey, and their fascination with light-based art, including the significance of Geissler tubes CMoG’s collection.

Welcome to the podcast Rise Peacock!

SHOW NOTES

Music Credits

Music credits to the following artists in order of appearance:
- Preview – Retro by ONE
- The opening theme -Taming Lightning by Trav B. Ryan
- Sponsor – Good2Go by ONE
- Credits – Walking by Ras-Hop

Episode Time Stamps

[0:31] Sponsored by the Corning Museum

[1:52] Introducing Rise Peacock

[4:13] The Role of a Curatorial Fellow

[7:59] Exhibition Development and Artist Advocacy

[9:31] Understanding Geissler Tubes

[15:09] Historical Significance of Geyser Tubes

[19:58] Geissler Tubes and Artistic Practice

[24:02] The Intersection of Art and Curation

[27:32] Exploring Luminous Phenomena

[32:24] Materiality and Light in Art

[36:51] Navigating Interdisciplinary Practices

[41:36] Curatorial Challenges with Light Works

[47:14] Merging Art and Curation

[49:50] Dismantling the Curatorial Lore

Transcript (Patreon Only)

Sorry! This part of content is hidden behind this box because it requires a higher contribution level ($2) at Patreon. Why not take this chance to increase your contribution?

I hope you enjoyed the podcast.

Thank you Rise for taking the time to be on the podcast, and for the support and company during my residency at Corning Museum of Glass. It was inspiring to hear about the ways that curatorial and conservation staff work together behind to scene to make something as simple a viewing the Geissler tube possible. I hope to return in 2026 for a research residency, where we can improve information about the collection, and perhaps encourage unique educational display of luminous glass, which is sorely missing from the Corning Museum display. Let’s keep in touch.

I’d like to thank Pittsburgh Glass Center for supporting me as a place of research and inspiration, the Plasma Art Alliance, and the Facebook group Neon and Plasma Art for Beginner, where I have access to the well of knowledge and connects me to some amazing and supportive people.

Please support Taming Lightning by subscribing to the blog mailing list , or follow on instagram @taminglightning.

Feel free to share, comment, and subscribe. and I’ll See you next time.