To explore Murano glass as a pure artistic material, moving beyond its functional tradition, Galleria Barovier&Toso invites renowned artists who have had little or no prior experience in working with this ancient medium. In accepting this invitation, Fabrizio Plessi, the internationally acclaimed video artist known for his ground-breaking integration of natural elements with electronic media, has returned to the fundamental archetypes of glass production – the bottle and the drinking glass – forms that have remained central to glassmaking since glass vessels were first produced in Egypt and Mesopotamia around 1500 BC. For more than three and a half millennia, these utilitarian objects have represented the essential vocabulary of glass production, becoming the foundational means through which humanity has understood and engaged with this extraordinary material.
The catalogue features essays by Mara Hofmann, Director of Galleria Barovier&Toso, who introduces this landmark exhibition; art critic Bruno Corà, who explores Plessi's turbulent drawings and glass works in the context of his artistic philosophy; and an in-depth conversation between Plessi and Mariapia Bellis revealing the artist's creative process and relationship with Murano glass.
