Venice - Isola di San Giorgio Maggiore
Le Stanze del Vetro
Thomas Stearns alla Venini
The Autumn exhibition at Le
Stanze del Vetro, Thomas Stearns
alla Venini, until January 5, is curated by Marino Barovier, it focuses on the American artist who collaborated
with the Venini glassworks in the
early 1960s. After the initial period during which Stearns familiarised himself
with local techniques, he started to create works of an extremely original
character and unusual for Murano.
Luna – 1962
Stearns’s intention with this
series was that, when lifting the vase and looking through the base, one would
see the shape suggestive of the moon.
“I now fully realize the serendipity of events surrounding my work at
Venini. Paolo Venini’s death had left the firm virtually bereft of a designer;
my own naivete’ and eagerness to explore the medium left me in zealous
experimentation; and the young Maestro Francesco ‘Checco’ Ongaro’s own efforts
to prove his abilities led him to stick out his neck by collaborating with
me. This timing was just right making
germane a situation of exploration and accomplishment. We each saw it as an opportunity for
ourselves… and we leapt in.”
Thomas Stearns -1989
Maestro Checco Ongaro and American artist Thomas Stearns
Thomas Stearns alla Venini
For the 31st Venice Biennale in 1962, Venini
chose to exhibit, together with Tobia
Scarpa’s works, six pieces by the American
artist, which were rewarded with the accolades of the adjudication panel.
Celebrated are his pieces Il Cappello
del Doge, the Facciate di Venezia.
The gold medal was proposed for them but could only be awarded to an Italian artist.
Cilindri – 1961-1962
Capello del Doge – 1961
Incalmi – 1961-1962
Ai Fili – 1961-1962
Focciata di Venezia – II Versione – 1962
Thomas Stearns alla Venini
Various series of Thomas Stearns’s
glass pieces came into being, designed as an artistic impression of a
sculptural kind, characterised by asymmetric and organic shapes and unusual
glass techniques, rooted in the material of glass itself and with singular
colour schemes.
Sentinella di Venezia - 1962
Thomas Stearns alla Venini
Stearns was also interested in cold finishing techniques and in the
lighting sector, as artistic expression as well as technical research.
Illuminazione – 1961-1962
Doge’s Table Lamp for signing decrees,
lamp with opaline glass light diffuser and external part in smoke-coloured
transparent glass finished with thin horizontal incisions. Support structure
and metallic finishing in bronze-plated brass.
Ai Fili - 1962