Lino Tagliapietra
La Poesia Della Forma
Lino Tagliapietra is a contemporary glass master who needs no introduction. A child prodigy recognized as Maestro at the age of 21, Tagliapietra’s over seven-decade career has earned him every relevant award globally. From humble beginnings on the small Venetian island of Murano to his international status as one of the leading artists in contemporary glass, Tagliapietra is viewed with reverence among museums, collectors and the glass community alike. It is with the greatest pleasure that Traver Gallery presents La Poesia della Forma, an exhibition that highlights the dynamic and lyrical visions of this extraordinary artist.
The glass sculptures included in this show are both current and historic, revealing a gradual evolution in forms. Iconic silhouettes like teardrop-shapes, such as Vienna and Angel Tear, are constantly reinvented and transformed by using different murrine to create unique surfaces and color palettes, while experimental shapes composed of asymmetrical patternings, such as the Dinosaur and Cayuga, showcase Lino’s superior ability to render unconventional beauty by utilizing the fluid and expressive qualities of glass. Tagliapietra’s form – his poetry – is brought to life by his insatiable drive to continuously innovate and modernize the treasures and traditions of Venetian glass.
About
Lino Tagliapietra- view profile
Lino Tagliapietra was born on Murano, a Venetian island which has served as the world’s glass capital for the past millennium. At the age of twelve, the artist apprenticed with Archimede Seguso. Training for glassblowers on Murano is traditionally structured, rigorous and slow; yet, within this system, Tagliapietra was a prodigy. After nine years of assisting, he achieved the title of maestro. Subsequently, he worked at several of Murano’s greatest factories: Galliano Ferro, Venini, Effetre International, and La Murrina (which he founded).
A significant shift in the Studio Glass Movement began in 1979 when Tagliapietra accepted Benjamin Moore’s invitation to teach at Pilchuck Glass School. There, he established many enduring professional contacts and continuing relationships with students. The importance of his teaching to the development of glass as an artistic medium cannot be overstated.
Tagliapietra was the recipient of the prestigious Rakow Commission granted in 1996 by the Corning Museum of Glass, The Glass Art Society Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2004 Visionary Award from the Museum of Arts & Design in New York. His work has been exhibited throughout Europe, Asia, and North America and is included in numerous prominent public collections including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, New York; The Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York; The Danish Royal Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark; The Jewish Museum in San Francisco, California; Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, France, and Museo del Vidrio in Monterrey, Mexico.