Venetian Murano Glass
Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini, Marco Zanini, Flo Perkins, Richard Jolley, Luigi Benzoni, Emmanuel Babled, Studio Job, Barber Osgerby, Massimo Lunardon, Juan Ripollés, Irene Rezzonico
Curator Text: Charmaine Tam
28 Oct – 27 Nov 2021
Novalis Art Design, 197 Hollywood Road, Hong Kong
The history of Venetian glass as an unrivalled leader in the art of glass dates back to the Renaissance in the 15th century with the invention of clear glass. Since then, a long history of innovation followed, with techniques such as aventurine, filigrana and murrine still being practiced by Murano glass masters today. This exhibition showcases the modern artistry of Murano glass with pieces from renowned and historic Murano glassworks: Venini and Berengo Studio, where the centuries-old tradition of Venetian Murano glass craftsmanship is combined with innovative techniques and creative sensibilities through collaboration with notable artists and designers.
Venini was founded in 1921 by Milanese lawyer Paolo Venini and Venetian antiques dealer Giacomo Cappellini, and was pioneering at the time by modernizing Murano glass through collaborations with famous designers such as Carlo Scarpa, Alessandro Mendini and Ettore Sottsass just to name a few. Venini’s wide range of colour palette is also a distinctive feature of this glassworks, with a wide range of 125 shades, the fruit of countless experiments and research. Pieces shown from Venini include works by notable designers Alessandro Venini, Marco Zanini, Emmanuel Babled, renowned design studios Studio Job and Barber Osgerby, and American artist Flo Perkins.
Berengo Studio was founded in 1989 by Venetian entrepreneur Adriano Berengo with the aim to ‘go beyond the everyday image of glass and to promote its use as an artistic medium, to take it beyond both the boundaries of craft and the limits of manual virtuosity.’ He emulates Peggy Guggenheim in her role of the glass revival in the 1950s with the collaboration of Egidio Constantini, who broke the barriers that had limited glass to its traditional decorative role by inviting artists such as Jean Arp and Pablo Picasso to create in this mesmerizing medium. Since its foundation, Berengo Studio has collaborated with acclaimed artists from all over the world, such as Ai Weiwei, Lucio Fontana, and Tracey Emin, to name a few. Pieces shown from Berengo Studio include works by Massimo Lunardon, Luigi Benzoni, Richard Jolley, Irene Rezzonico, and Juan Ripollés.
In addition, two glass works by Ettore Sottsass for the Memphis Group are shown, which creates an interesting dialogue with the pieces by Marco Zanini and Alessandro Mendini, given their connection to each other within design. They were all involved in the Memphis Group, an Italian design movement founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1981, which sought to rebel against the ‘uniform panorama of good taste’ of the time, where the principle ‘form follows function’ reigned supreme. With Memphis, design had been liberated from rationality, and enters the realm of poetry. It came to define the aesthetics of the ‘80s. More importantly, it expanded the boundaries of design, emphasizing the expressive possibilities of design as a vehicle of communication, rather than just one of utilitarian function.
Together, these works showcase Murano glass in all its glory and forms, and its boundless potential as a mesmerizing medium.
SELECTED WORKS
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Alpha Centauri
Marco Zanini
Alpha Centauri, 1982
Flower vase in blown glass
H 37 cm -
Marco Zanini image1
Marco Zanini
Mar dei Coralli, 1996
28 X 53 cm, P.d.A. -
Venetian Murano Glass image16
Ettore Sottsass
Alioth, 1983
Memphis Group Murano glass
H 48 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image15
Ettore Sottsass
Sol, 1982
Memphis Group Murano glass
29 x 24 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image14
Irene Rezzonico
Medusa, 2018
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
70 x 50 x 35 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image13
Juan Ripollés
La Reina, 2016
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
58 x 40 x 20 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image12
Juan Ripollés
El Rey, 2016
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
55 x 38 x 18 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image11
Massimo Lunardon
Lazy Boy “Alien”, 2018
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
60 x 40 x 45 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image10
Richard Jolley
Sideway Observation, 2016
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
45 x 33 x 22 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image9
Luigi Benzoni
Profile, 2018
Berengo Studio Murano glass sculpture
40 x 30 x 15 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image8
Barber Osgerby
Lanterne Marine London, 2009
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 9, no. 2/9
36 x 54 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image7
Studio Job
Mae West – Face Lamp, 2019
VENINI Murano glass, metal fixings, bulb, electrics,
Limited edition of 29, no. 21/29
30 x 136 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image6
Emmanuel Babled
Aramaici, 2009
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 99, no. 59/99
17 x 28 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image5
Emmanuel Babled
Aramaici, 1998
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 99, no. 37/99
12 x 37 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image4
Emmanuel Babled
Waikiki, 2008
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 99, no. 83/99
59 x 16 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image3
Flo Perkins
Living Stones, 2008
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 19
+ 3 Roman numerals, no. 7/19
26 x 22 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image2
Marco Zanini
Mar dei Coralli, 1996
VENINI Murano glass, P.d.A. (artist proof)
28 x 53 cm -
Venetian Murano Glass image1
Alessandro Mendini
Grande Alzata,2016
VENINI Murano glass, limited edition of 99, no. 70/99
26 x 36 cm