As you walk past the orange Victorian walls of the Renwick Gallery, you are immediately entranced by the abstract structure on your left. You gaze at the strange amorphous vase with its long curving neck, striving to understand the message that the artist is trying convey. Looking down, you see name of the artwork, "Dinosaur." You realize after a second glance what it is that the artist wants you to see. The large base and narrow protruding neck reminds you of the prehistoric long-necked brontosaurus.
Lino Tagliapietra's glassblowing masterworks, now on exhibition at the gallery, tend to work that way to viewers. When you look at a certain piece, you think of one thing, read the title and description, and think of another. One such work, "Fenice" (the word phoenix in Italian), suggests a golden cobra with its curving, slithering quality. The description under the artwork's name tells that Tagliapietra was inspired more by the mythical firebird and Islamic calligraphy than poisonous snakes. That's understandable, seeing that the sides of the work are ruby red and sapphire blue and look like bird plumage with their carefully detailed lines.
Minding the viewer's initial opinions, the Italian glassblower's exhibit is a treat for anyone looking to step away from conventional art. Tagliapietra worked in glass factories in Murano, Italy, as a child and mastered the craft of warping glass into sensual forms. His skill bends viewers' conception of what glass is and forms it into an artistic medium rivaling that of painting and sculpture.
The Renwick exhibit starts with white or colorless artworks like "Dinosaur" and evolves into an explosion of intense color as the viewer progresses through the gallery. But even with their distinct hues, it is the designs of each piece that earn them praise. Works like "Psycho Vessel" play with the viewer's eyes as curved lines whirl to create auspicious spirals leaving the lollygagging viewer with a sense of vertigo.
Tagliapietra incorporates aspects of both ancient and pop culture throughout the show. His "Vessels" series resembles primitive American Indian and Greek pottery. "Batman" consists of four multi-colored swirling depictions of the superhero's iconic symbol. "Manhattan Sunset" pays homage to the skyscrapers of New York with each vase-like sculpture radiating with color and authenticity, much like the industrial marvels it represents. "Endeavor" is perhaps the exhibit's magnum opus with dozens of curved glassworks resembling Viking ships hanging from the gallery's ceiling. The viewer cannot help but gape at the individual color and design of each piece.
In a world dominated by archaic stained glass bustling in Gothic churches, Tagliapietra challenges his audience to see glass in a refreshing new way. He conveys his message through subtle nuance, allowing the objects to simply be without adding too much or too little detail. Doing so, Tagliapietra's masterpieces exude a life force all their own.
Lino Tagliapietra's exhibit, "A Modern Renaissance in Glass," is at the Renwick Gallery until Jan. 11.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
