Glassmaker blows into town with art exhibit

Lino Tagliapietra; the name is intimidating, the art is intimidating, the man is not.

The Columbus Museum of Art presents Concerto in Glass: The Art of Lino Tagliapietra, an exhibition featuring more than 100 works by one of the most powerful and creative forces in contemporary glass sculpting.

The collaboration between the museum and a different glass exhibition at the Franklin Park Conservatory makes Columbus the ultimate destination for lovers of contemporary glass through March 21, 2004.

"The conservatory and museum exhibits provide a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages and walks of life to escape into the art of glass," said Tom Hawk, owner of Hawk Galleries.

"Artists, curators, musem-goers are all in agreement - he's the master of glass blowing," Hawk said.

Tagliapietra was born in 1934 on the Italian island of Murano, a centuries-old center of Venetian glassmaking.

At age 11, he was apprenticed to his first glass studio and continued to study the techniques of glassmaking until 1988. During that year, he became an independent artist and has since teamed with numerous glass artists, most notably Dale Chihuly.

"As for me, I represent Venice. I represent one kind of shadow and one kind of light. I represent a place where they have been blowing glass for a thousand years. When I was born, I was born with glass; I play glass. It is part of my culture, my brain, my blood," Tagliapietra said to a museum representative.

Tagliapietra was instrumental in bringing the necessary technical skills of glass blowing to the United States during the late 1970s when the studio-glass movement was in full swing. In 1979, Tagliapietra boarded his first airplane to the United States to teach class at Chihuly's Pilchuck School.

The magnitude of Tagliapietra's influence on American studio glass is affectionately known today as "the Lino effect."

"I expected to be a master craftsman, not a well-known artist," Tagliapietra said to Annegreth Nill, curator of the exhibit. "It is hard for me to believe what has happened in my life. I never imagined what effect my work would have on others."

The museum has devoted two galleries completely to Lino's work, and the remaining pieces have been placed throughout the museum.

Tagliapietra's "Endeavor" features 35 glass boats hanging from wire at varying levels. This is the largest boat installation Tagliapietra has ever done.

"The boat is like a bird," he said. "It looks like it is flying."

Tagliapietra said an event in Venice called "Festa de la Sesa" provided his inspiration to create "Endeavor." During this celebration, which translates into The Marriage of the Sea, Venetians go into the sea and leave a piece of gold as a type of thanks.

"He projects his soul into his works," Nill said.

The amount of detail in Tagliapietra's work is truly astonishing. The glass, with its endless colors and textures, is captivating to the eye. It only makes one ponder the tremendous skill that must be absolutely crucial to create this artwork.

"Lino talks about the glass speaking to him as he blows it. There's a dialogue, a give and take," Hawk said. "Lino is going to go down as truly one of the Picassos of our time."

The Columbus Museum of Art is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays, except for Thursdays when the museum is open until 8:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students and free for members and children five and under.