The topic of the exhibition is the murrina technique in its
various expressions from Roman times to the present days in Murano.
This is an exhibition to be organized in two locations at the same
time, Altino and Murano, and aims to offer a sort of 'comparison'
between the Roman murrine glass and those produced for centuries in
Murano, but at the same time, to enhance the territory of the
Veneto region, through a rich and fertile connection.
The murrina is an important production of the glass industry both,
in Roman times and in more recent ones. An exhibition on this theme
would attract the attention of scholars but also of an audience far
more wide, given the undeniable charm of the murrine glass,
characterized by bright colours and an endless variety of
decorative motifs. In addition, the location of the exhibition in
two different sites, Altino and Murano, would help to highlight the
close link between the Roman and Venetian glass, recognized by all,
even if the manner and timing of the evolution from one to another
have not yet been fully defined.
TOPIC
The murrina technique consists essentially in the fusion of hot
glass tesserae - monochrome or polychrome - as the so-called
millefiori, in order to obtain plates, dishes, bowls. The murrina
technique does not need to be blown, but the murrina plates,
obtained by fusing, can also be modeled in a second phase of the
process with the blowing. The processing of some Roman remains in
the form of balsam bottle, seems to have been concluded with the
blowing effects, but were the Venetian glassmakers in the 19th,
20th and 21st century to develop the best combination of technology
with the murrina blowing, getting extraordinary results both from a
technical and aesthetic point of view. This recovery opened new
horizons for them, if we just think to personalities as Carlo
Scarpa, Paolo Venini and, last but not least, Lino
Tagliapietra.
ALTINO
The project provides for the display, in the seat of the Museum of
Altino, of Roman glassmaking works, made with this technique, not
only emerged from the excavations of the this archaeological site,
but also from other sites included in the jurisdiction of the
Archaeological Superintendence of the Veneto Region, which
corresponds to large part of
the old X Regio Venetia et Istria, boasted of both commercial and
cultural privileged relations with the eastern shores of the
Mediterranean, the birthplace of art glass. Some archaeological
finds in murrina glass are almost intact, restored with other
additions, others reduced to small fragments. But all are of great
scientific interest. It appears also that the archaeological
murrine of the Veneto area have never been exhibited so far, side
by side in a single exhibition, to allow comparisons and to
highlight any similarities or differences. In this section, will be
also included some significant pieces, made between 800 and 900 on
the style of ancient glass.
Murano
In the Museum of Glass of Murano will be exhibited murrine glass
works made in Murano since the 19th century. In fact, were the
Murano glassmakers to recall this ancient technique, after long
studies on the archaeological material preserved in the Museum of
Murano, but also in important archaeological collections, such as
the National Museum of Naples. The Murano murrine of the 19th
gained the first great international success at the Exposition
Universelle in Paris in 1878. In the late 19th and early 20th
century, the Murano glassmakers developed this technique with
outstanding results. From the collection by painters Vittorio
Zecchin and Teodoro Wolf-Ferrari displayed at the Biennale of 1914,
some of the finest Murano glass murrine were designed by well known
artists and internationally renowned designers, such as Carlo
Scarpa, Riccardo Licata. Even the Murano glassmakers, as Alfredo
Barbini for example, gave a significant contribution to the
development of such creations. The Glass Museum in Murano includes
in its collections many 19th-century murrine of extraordinary
quality. Regarding the most recent production, the museum boasts
important examples by Vittorio Zecchin, Teodoro Wolf-Ferrari,
Umberto Bellotto.
CONTEMPORARY GLASS
The exhibition will conclude with some contemporary pieces. For
these, will be invited artists and companies, chosen by the
Organizing Committee, who will realize, especially for the
exhibition, some artifacts in glass murrine . According to the
artist, these works can be then be donated definitively to the
Glass Museum of Murano.
CURATORSHIP
Scientific curators of the exhibition are Rosa Barovier Mentasti,
Giovanni Moretti and Margherita Tirelli.
TRANSFERS
A "cultural journey" by water will be organize to connect the two
openings in Altino and Murano. This path, which will also have
educational purposes, will be replicated regularly during the
duration of the exhibits.
OPENINGS
The opening is scheduled May 26, 2012, with at 11am of the opening
section archaeological exhibition at the National Archaeological
Museum in Altino and at 5pm the modern and contemporary section at
the Glass Museum of Murano. For the Press, it will be also provided
a preview, to be held on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
PROMOTION
On the sidelines of the exhibition, a catalogue will be made,
edited by Rosa Barovier Mentasti and Margherita Tirelli. Printed in
two languages (Italian/English), it will have the same editorial
features of the book "Altino. Glass of the Venetian lagoon. An
educational program will also set up to be presented to schools of
different levels and able to organize visits to exhibitions from
the month of October 2012 ahead.
