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News Release April 19, 2007 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.An exhibition showcasing modern and contemporary works in glass, Viva Vetro! Glass Alive! Venice and America, will be on view at Carnegie Museum of Art from May 12-September 18, 2007. The exhibition of 125 stunning objects, created by more than 60 American and Italian artists spans the Venetian postwar industrial revival in the 1940s and 1950s through the birth of the American studio glass movement in the 1960s and its subsequent dramatic development and growth to the present. This is the largest and broadest exhibition to examine the links between Venice and American glassmaking and their significance, from sculptor Robert Willson's exploratory visit to Murano in the mid-1950s, and the commissioning of work from American designers by the Venini factory, through present day artists like Lino Tagliapietra and Josiah McElheny. "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." Venice has been a preeminent glass center since the 16th century, and over the centuries European factories and designers have tried to emulate the city's success by adapting or copying designs and techniques associated with the Venetian masters. 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. As the American studio glass movement burgeoned and flourished, Venetian masters traveled to the United States not only to teach at the growing number of summer programs but also to learn from the independent spirit and spontaneity of American artists, and a dialogue began. Venetians instilled in Americans the required discipline and technical skills, and a new appreciation for color; Americans inspired in their Venetian counterparts the freedom to challenge and question. The two worlds of the glass factory with its master/apprentice system and the independent artist working in a private studio collided, to the ultimate benefit of both. The exhibition will feature works by American artists who worked in Venice, including: 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 highlighted. Distinctive Venetian techniques, such as battuto, reticello, zanfirico, murrine, incalmo, and tessarae, and their adoption by American artists, will be described and illustrated. And the most renowned of Venetian forms, the glass chandelier, as reinterpreted today by James Mongrain, Maria Grazia Rosin, and Ginny Ruffner will be shown. The exhibition will also showcase work by Italian artists who have taught or worked in the United States: Loredano Rosin, Pino Signoretto, Lino Tagliapietra, and Gianni Toso. "Venice Today," will highlight some of the artists currently working Italy, including Christiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira, Davide Salvadore, and Laura de Santillana. Other sections of the exhibition will also spotlight early and mid-20th century designers from Italy and the United States, including American designer Charles Lin Tissot, whose intricate bird cage and garden centerpieces are inspired by historical Venetian forms and whose chess set made by Venini makes dramatic use of the zanfirico cane technique. The final section, "Beyond Glass," features the work of contemporary artists Josiah McElheny from America and Federica Marangoni from Venice. "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." Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass Catalogue Programs A variety of public programs complementing Viva Vetro! will connect visitors with the primary themes in the exhibition. For information, visit the museum's web site at www.cmoa.org. Support The exhibition is supported by Pittsburgh Celebrates Glass, which is made possible by the generosity of many foundations and corporations, including Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and presenting sponsors PNC and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Additional support for the exhibition is provided by the Henry L. Hillman Fund, the Fellows of Carnegie Museum of Art, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The exhibition catalogue is made possible by the Beal Publication Fund and the Henry Lea Hillman, Jr. Foundation. Images are available on the museum's media photo web site. Contact the communications office at 412.688.8690 or stitelert@carnegiemuseums.org for the access code. Carnegie Museum of Art Contact: |
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