Photograph
by Ettore Bellini courtesy Fondazione Cini
Venice:
Carlo Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947 – Fondazione Cini. The
exhibition Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932–1947, curated by Marino Barovier, until 29 November, at the Fondazione Cini,
reconstructs Carlo Scarpa’s career in the years when he was artistic director
of the Venini glassworks, from 1932 to 1947. The exhibition is the first public
event of Le Stanze del Vetro (Rooms
for Glass), a new permanent space, a long-term cultural project launched
by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in
collaboration with Pentagram Stiftung for
the purpose of studying and showcasing the art of Venetian glassmaking in the
20th century.
Above: Rigati, 1938 and Tessuti, 1940. The rigato and tessuto glass can be considered Scarpa’s original interpretation
of the rod glass (i.e. filigree glass) and consists of multi-colored glass
rods. They were exhibited at the Venice Biennale in 1938.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. The Italian architect Carlo Scarpa at work in his
studio in Asolo. "At Venini Carlo Scarpa was always attentive, curious
and eager to expand his knowledge. He was determined to learn how to handle
materials and change their aspect, colors, forms and techniques.
The learning
process took place discreetly, with the help of experienced master glass
blowers, who knew their craft’s secrets and remained loyal to a tradition
passed down from one master craftsman to another.
Scarpa himself became a
master: he entertained long conversations with the craftsmen, stimulated
experimentation and paved the way for innovative projects. Especially
with
master Fei, with whom he had developed a very close relationship, he often
stayed on at
the glassworks after closing time, when he could take the
opportunity to approach new materials, fishing them out from the crucibles
after all the minerals had settled.” Writes the curator of the exhibition
Marino Barovier.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Murine Opache, 1940. The opaque murrine glassware
is the outcome of Scarpa’s further research on the technique experimented with
Paolo Venini in 1936, when the two conceived the “Roman” murrine series.
-->
Pentagram
Stiftung’s David Landau.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Mezza Filigrana, 1934-36. By revisiting the ancient
half-filigree (mezza filigrana) technique,
already in use in the 16th century, Scarpa designed a refined series of glass
pieces, which was presented at the Venice Biennale in 1934. Half-filigree glass
features an extremely thin and clear texture, made
of a series of clear glass
rods with at their centre a piece of lattimo or colored glass.
Art Director of the exhibition and artist Laura de
Santillana.
The Murrine series.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Chairman of
Pentagram Stiftung Marie-Rose Kahane with her children Max and Mia. “…Since its
very beginning, the world of Venini was dedicated to absolute perfection and
simplicity, by mastering excellence of techniques, colors and forms through
combining the skill of great craftsmen with innovation and experimentation.
Each new work added to my first acquisition reflected a consistent dream of
sobriety married to uncontested leadership in style. Each new piece also added
to my dream when it merged with existing works of art that filled my house and
nourished my mind and soul.” Marie-Rose recollects about her first chance
encounter with Venini in the 1980s.
Marina Barovier and Chicca Olivetti.
Tessuto 1940. Tessuto glass, with a narrowing in the
main body.
Venini’s
Giancarlo Chimento.
Marie Brandolini d'Adda.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Lattimi, 1936. Susanne Thun photographs the vases. Lattimo glass is a
type of opaque white glass obtained by adding a large amount of minuscule
crystals to the melting glass.
Carla Sozzani, Kris Ruhs and Franca Coin.
Francesca Migliorati, Chiara Rusconi and Mariuccia Casadio.
Vittorio Gregotti and Matteo Thun.
Massimo Valsecchi.
Tessuti Vases 1940.
Philippe Daverio.
Adele Re Rebaudengo e Francesca Masiero.
Gabriele Basilico.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Granulari, 1940. The granulari (granular) series, also called murrine granulari, was a development of research on murrine, In
particular, these items were made using black glass tesserae with four opal
globules at their corners, which, being the first elements to cool down, were
not completely incorporated by the surface, thus remaining in relief and giving
the glass fabric its characteristic granuloso
(granular) effect.
Gimmo Etro, Gabriella Codognato and Roberta Etro.
Attilio Codognato.
Anna Gastel and Max Rabino.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. Laccati Neri e Rossi, 1940. The laccati neri e rossi series was first
presented at the Venice Biennale 1940 and received great press coverage. This
series included intensely colored glass, presenting a Chinese lacquer-like
texture. The objects were red and black, with horizontal or vertical incalmo.
To
obtain a bright red color, Scarpa used a material made of minuscule lamp-worked
glass spheres incorporated into the glass mass. Because of its particular
complexity, very few pieces were produced.
Cristiane D'Albis and Ketty Alvera.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. A Fasce Applicate,1940. The thick clear glass items are intensely
iridized and owe their name to the typical ribbon-shaped decorations in clear
colored glass. This series also stands out for the special hues obtained by
superimposing different colored layers.
Francesco Bonami.
Fabio Zonta and Aurora Zonta.
-->
Fabio Zonta and Aurora Zonta.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. "The rediscovery of the documents from Venini’s
historical archive has allowed a careful examination of the works attributed to
Scarpa, to illustrate thoroughly Scarpa’s years of collaboration with Paolo
Venini. At the archive there are many period photographs, sometimes with
interesting notes in their margin or on their versos, and a series of drawings
and designs by Scarpa himself. There is also an almost complete set of furnace
drawings, most of them traceable to the 1930s and 1940s.” write the curator of
the exhibition Marino Barovier.
Roberta De Camerino.
Maria Alessandra Segantini, Carlo Cappai and Francesca Marzotto.
Stefano Tonchi and David Maupin.
Carlo
Scarpa. Venini 1932-1947. A pennellate,1942. Clear glass items decorated with
brush-strokes. Scarpa himself defined them as decorated by “large torn out
color spots” on the whole surface, as the brush-stroke effect is obtained by
adding small quantities of colored opaque glass during the blowing process and
dragging them around the vase until the desired thinness is achieved.
Maria Grazia Montesi.
Last but not least, the view from the Island of San Giorgio.
