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Viva Vetro!
Glass Alive: Venice & America
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2007 is a celebration of the art of glassmaking in Pittsburgh. Among the many exhibits is Viva Vetro! at the Carnegie Museum of Art. When exploring the history of glass making the place to begin is Venice. This exhibit looks at the relationship between Venice & America glassmakers. |
| “The rich interchange between Venice and America is elegantly summarized in this show and its catalogue,” says Richard Armstrong, The Henry J. Heinz II Director of Carnegie Museum of Art. Glassmaking has a distinguished history in Pittsburgh, and the museum now has an important collection of modern and contemporary glass.” |
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Title: Chess Set (detail), c. 1954-55
Artist: Charles Lin Tissot, designer (American, 1904-1994)
Venini S.p.a., manufacturer Italian, 1921-present
Medium: Glass
Lent by Charles Luke
Photo Credit: Peter Harholdt
Image Courtesy: Carnegie Museum of Art
Venice dominated glassworks. Many famed glassmakers looked to Italy for inspiration and technique. In the second half of the 20th century American artists seeking technical knowledge and skills traveled to Venice to immerse themselves in the glass factory environment and to learn from the Venetian masters, particularly those at the celebrated Venini factory. These American artists then returned home to invigorate and energize the rapidly growing studio movement in America.
The Carnegie's selected glass pieces for Viva Vetro is a who's who of the finest glassmakers. Some of the American artists worked in Venice, like James Carpenter, Dale Chihuly, Dan Dailey, Marvin Lipofsky, Richard Marquis, Benjamin Moore, Thomas Stearns, and Toots Zynsky. Dale Chihuly’s Venetian Series and the Chihuly over Venice project will be a highlight.
Title: Lampadario, 2005
Artist: Emilio Santini (Italian, b. 1955)
Medium: Glass
Dimensions: 76 x 60 x 60 in.
Lent by Emilio Santini
Image Courtesy: Carnegie Museum of Art
“Venice, a city renowned for its atmosphere, color, history, and light, has been an inspiration to artists of all media for so long,” says Sarah Nichols, curator of Viva Vetro! “Many artists, both American and Italian, revel and delight in what Venice has to offer. They are very conscious of the traditions and skills of Venetian glass and want to translate and transform them while bringing their own voice to their work.
“The glass connections between Venice and America are complex when looked at overall, particularly when commercial and market conditions are taken into consideration. But they are also completely individual, based on each artist’s specific experiences. These one-off, highly personal connections build and join together to create a dynamic force to spearhead glass into new artistic realms.”
Viva Vetro is one of several highlights as Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass in 2007. It is a regional initiative involving more than 70 area arts and cultural organizations offering programming to make 2007 the Year of Glass in Pittsburgh.
Viva Vetro!
Glass Alive: Venice & America
Carnegie Museum of Art:
May 12 - September 16, 2007