le stanze del vetro exhibits venini glasswork of tapio wirkkala & toni zuccheri

100 years of venini glasswork

200 awe-inspiring, historic glassworks of expressive color, form and technical innovation showcase the craft of venini as well as designers tapio wirkkala and toni zuccheri in a twin exhibition in venice, italy. the occasion celebrates the centenary of the glasswork brand, whose products are a visual representation of the artisanal skill of its workshop, materials and creators. the two displays are on show at the same time in the same venue at le stanze del vetro from 21 november 2021 to 13 march 2022.

vases from the lapponi series, tapio wirkkala for venini, 1966. © tapio wirkkala, by siae 2021

image credit enrico fiorese

open to the public on the island of san giorgio maggiore, the tapio wirkkala at venini and toni zuccheri at venini exhibitions recount the murano experiences at le stanze del vetro. curated by marino barovier, the twin showcase is the project of fondazione giorgio cini and pentagram stiftung. visitors follow the footsteps of the two great designers present at the venini furnace during its most transformative years in the second half of the 1960s particularly. the strong personalities, paired with unique skills, produced new models that responded to the new minimalist requirements of the world of design at the time, without compromising the use of color.

vases from the bolle series, tapio wirkkala for venini, 1966-67. © tapio wirkkala, by siae 2021

image credit enrico fiorese

tapio wirkkala at venini

the first exhibition showcases the work of renowned finnish designer tapo wirkkala, who, after making his debut at the biennale of venice in 1966, received great admiration for his elegant work. his rich nordic glasswork experience, gained with the likes of littala, enabled the artist to combine his own culture with the typical murano craftsmanship. this offered new possibilities of expression as he grew confident in the technique of filigrana and the discovery of color. this also led to the mastering of the incalmo technique, where polychrome pieces in transparent glass were juxtaposed in different shapes and colors, mostly cold tones with lively notes. his continued experimentation on the theme of filigrana also resulted in the use of molds, especially for plates, as well as the use of large-scale murrine.

tacchino in murrine glass, toni zuccheri for venini, 1964

image credit enrico fiorese

toni zuccheri at venini

the second exhibition follows the evolution of toni zuccheri’s experimentation with the material as well as process of shaping glass. when a student of architecture, zuccheri was invited to the venini glassworks with the task of designing a besitary in glass, which was, in turn, displayed at the venice biennale in 1964. ducks in polychrome glass, together with unusual animals like a turkey and guinea fowl in glass and bronze, featured an original hoopoe with innumerable feathers executed under heat with sculptural dimensions. this first set of bestiary was accompanied by several series of vases that explored the possibilities of transparency. this was followed in 1967-68 with new opaque glass pieces inspired by vegetables, demonstrating a use of intense colors and organic lines, and then unpredictable variations in the 1970s. this is all while he created thick stained-glass windows for and with the architect gio ponti in the 1960s.

upupa in polychrome glass and bronze, toni zuccheri for venini, 1964

image credit enrico fiorese

on entry into le stanze del vetro, guests are welcomed into a video room with two documentaries dedicated to the exhibitions: toni zuccheri pezzi sparsi by marta pasqualini, produced by pentagram stiftung in 2016; tapio wirkkala, the man who designed finland. following a meticulous documentary research based both on the archive material of glasswork, two monographic catalogues published by skira are available: tapio wirkkala and toni zuccheri at venini. both are edited by marino barovier and carla sonego.