Page 5 - Montague Gallery Lino Tagliapietra Show

RADIANCE Radiance is defined as the light that comes from something: the sun, most commonly, or other bright sources. It is also used to describe a kind of beauty, glowing from within. The radiance of Lino Tagliapietra’s extraordinary works in glass results from a combination of brilliant color and dynamic form, capturing light and redirecting it through the graceful curves and the intricately-patterned surface of each piece. Widely revered as the greatest living master of the art of glassblowing, Tagliapietra has been working at his craft and art for almost 75 years, having begun his apprenticeship at 11 in a factory on the island of Murano — where art glass has been made since the 13th century.Already recognized as a maestro of his craft in his early twenties, Tagliapietra worked as a designer for many different glass manufacturers there for over 25 years. In 1989, he transitioned to creating individual works for gallery exhibitions. Represented in museum collections all over the world including dozens in the US, he has received wide recognition for his artistry, his creative experimentation and his unparalleled technical skill. The body of work Tagliapietra has made as an independent artist over the past three decades has continually pushed the limits of the material. The vitality of his practice — his interest in a wide range of techniques and approaches, in color and scale and in light itself — has meant that even those at the top his field, the most skilled and celebrated glass artists worldwide, look to him for inspiration. Like oil paint, colored glass was once made by those who used it rather than purchased at a store. In the ‘70s, manufactured ‘rods’ of color became available, but Tagliapietra has continued to use color he makes himself almost exclusively. This uniquely personal palette contributes to the strong identity of his pieces. He describes the pieces in this exhibition as having grown organically out of past ideas, but at the same time, as presenting a new and different feeling. In particular, he mentions the murrini — intricately-patterned slices of glass that have been incorporated into the surface of virtually every sculpture. Like many artists, he works in Angel Tear 2007 | 12 x 13 x 18” Lino Tagliapietra | Radiance 5