More than an individual exhibition, this is part of a multi-faceted project launched by Angelo Zennaro in 2004 with the fundamental support of the Local Industries and Crafts Dept. of the Provincial Council of Venice. Involving a total of 280 students and 11 teachers working in local arts education (the Accademia di Belle Arti, the Istituto Statale d’Arte and the Liceo Artistico Statale), it has been carried out thanks to collaboration with the Musei Civici Veneziani.
A total of 120 design projects were submitted to a Selection Committee which then chose 26 of them for creation by renowned masters of Venetian glass. The resulting works form the body of this exhibition, which Ca’ Pesaro is proud to host.
This training scheme gives the young artists and designers a chance to acquire expertise and put it to the test. At the same time, it provides them with the opportunity to measure themselves against the vast heritage of knowledge and skill accumulated by master glassmakers of the past and present. This discovery of the infinite range of glass as a medium of expression not only extends knowledge of the culture behind this craft but also opens the way to interesting new developments in production.
The resultant exhibition reveals a surprising variety of artistic languages and techniques, with the extraordinary quality of the works on display offering a real promise for the future.
The pieces can be seen at Ca’ Pesaro until 13 May 2007, during normal museum hours.
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The project was made possible by the creative enthusiasm of young students, the passionate commitment of the teachers responsible for their education, the ready collaboration of master glassworkers and the convinced support of local authorities.
This is an perfect example of a training exercise. Required to design a work of art using any of the available glass techniques, the students were stimulated to explore the past and present of this craft. Along with this historical aspect, the project also stimulated the young designers to reflect upon design itself and upon the possible inspiration to be derived from the theme proposed: From Light to Creation.
Each participant submitted a scale model with an accompanying report motivating and outlining their design and the scale of the finished work. These were then presented to a Selection Committee which chose the works that would actually be created. At this point the master glassworkers became involved, with craftsmen and designers having to learn to understand each others’ language and aims.
This complex and demanding project proved highly rewarding. The works not only draw upon the great traditions of Murano glass but also experiment in new and surprising ways. The designs made it possible to explore the possibility of a vast range of methods in working glass, and this exploitation of a technological heritage clearly influenced stylistic choices and decisions. Historical traditions and the contemporary arts work together to demonstrate the need to look towards the future and not merely rest