Francisca Snel: New glass sculptures for PAN Amsterdam 2026
Root Gallery presents new glass sculptures by Francisca Snel at PAN Amsterdam, from 1–8 November 2026 at RAI Amsterdam. This is the first year we bring her work to the fair, following her focused presentation, Invitation II – Crystal Clear, at the gallery earlier this year.
The new selection brings together upright, rounded and horizontal forms. Amber meets deep blue; turquoise opens into transparent glass; red and pink passages curve around a sculptural body. Some works reveal their internal structure immediately, while others require a closer look through darker layers of colour.
By Francisca Snel
30 × 17,5 cm
Glass, copper
Unique
Magnitude #18 by Francisca Snel has a dark, concentrated appearance, interrupted by deep green passages and reddish accents. Its rounded glass body contains a dense internal structure, with clearer areas offering glimpses into the work.
Colour and transparency are closely balanced here. The darker glass establishes the overall form, while green details draw the eye further inside. Moving around the sculpture reveals different relationships between these elements. Magnitude #18 brings Snel’s attention to material behaviour into a work whose complexity becomes apparent through close viewing.
Delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium is complimentary, carefully arranged in consultation, either in person or securely shipped. We’re happy to advise on placement and presentation.
An everyday object, reconsidered
In Snel’s Crystal Clear series, a copper cleaning sponge becomes the starting point for a glass sculpture. Its tangled mesh remains visible within the glass, introducing an intricate texture beneath the smooth outer surface.
The choice of material carries meaning. A cleaning sponge belongs to the routines of domestic life: used, worn and eventually replaced. By incorporating it into a lasting artwork, Snel directs attention towards the object itself and the work of cleaning and care that it represents.
The copper is integral to both the sculpture’s appearance and its subject. Its folds, openings and irregular lines give each composition an internal rhythm, held within coloured glass.
Glass, colour and the making process
Snel’s glass sculptures are made in Leerdam, in collaboration with specialist glassblowers. Working with molten glass requires precise timing and close cooperation. The material continues to move during making, and decisions about form and colour must respond to its behaviour.
This relationship between artistic enquiry and skilled craftsmanship is central to the works. Their finished surfaces hold the traces of a process shaped by heat, movement and the interaction of materials.
Glass also gives the sculptures a changing relationship with light. Without direct sunlight, attention settles on the silhouette, the depth of colour and the structure within. In sunlight, transparent passages become more pronounced and coloured light can fall beyond the object. Amber, green or turquoise reflections create a temporary extension of the sculpture.
The new works offer different ways of experiencing these qualities. Upright forms encourage viewing around the object, while horizontal sculptures reveal another composition from above. Clear edges, dense colour and fine internal detail give each work its own character.
By Francisca Snel
29 × 16 cm
Glass, copper
Unique
The copper mesh takes a prominent role in Crystal Clear #14 by Francisca Snel. Visible through reddish-brown glass, its fine network occupies much of the upright form, while turquoise and amber accents gather towards the lower section.
This sculpture invites close attention to the relationship between its materials. The glass provides a smooth outer surface; the copper introduces folds, openings and an intricate internal texture. An object associated with cleaning becomes something to examine and retain, with its original structure still recognisable within the artwork.
Delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium is complimentary, carefully arranged in consultation, either in person or securely shipped. We’re happy to advise on placement and presentation.
About Francisca Snel
Francisca Snel is a Dutch contemporary artist based in Wommels. She graduated in Product Design from the Willem de Kooning Academy in Rotterdam in 2023.
Her practice develops through close engagement with materials and familiar objects. Glass and copper become a means of exploring how things are made, used and valued. Her background in design informs this attention to objects, while her sculptures open up questions beyond their original function.
Discover more about Francisca Snel and her available works.
Discover the sculptures at Root Gallery
Root Gallery is a contemporary art gallery in Krimpen aan de Lek, near Rotterdam. Our programme brings together artists whose work is distinguished by material research, colour, composition and a clear artistic approach.
We introduced Snel’s work through our Invitation programme, which creates space for focused presentations by invited artists. At PAN Amsterdam, visitors can encounter her new sculptures in person and explore the differences between their forms, colours and internal structures.
The works are also being added to our website, with detailed photographs showing alternative views, material details and the glass with and without direct sunlight. For those considering a sculpture, we are happy to provide further images and advice on placement.
We arrange insured worldwide shipping. Delivery within the Netherlands and Belgium is complimentary, with suitable packaging and transport arranged for each work.
Visit Root Gallery at PAN Amsterdam from 1–8 November 2026 at RAI Amsterdam, or contact us at contact@root.gallery to enquire about a sculpture or arrange a private viewing at the gallery.
By Francisca Snel
28,5 × 17cm
Glass, copper
Unique
Crystal Clear #11 by Dutch artist Francisca Snel brings red glass and copper together in an upright, rounded sculpture. A clear outer edge surrounds the darker centre, revealing the contrast between the smooth glass surface and the intricate mesh within.
The work belongs to Snel’s Crystal Clear series, which begins with a copper cleaning sponge. Preserved within glass, this everyday object becomes the subject of sustained attention. Its tangled structure remains recognisable, connecting the sculpture’s rich colour to questions of domestic labour, care and the value we assign to ordinary materials.
Delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium is complimentary, carefully arranged in consultation, either in person or securely shipped. We’re happy to advise on placement and presentation.
