L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 2026 www.italoamericano.org 24 L'Italo-Americano M o r e t h a n three years a g o , i n t e r - n a t i o n a l l y r e n o w n e d I t a l i a n g l a s s a r t i s t L i n o Tagliapietra announced he had selected Tacoma's Muse- u m o f G l a s s a s t h e m a j o r repository of his art. The significant donation, encompassing some 175 art- works and installations from Tagliapietra's long and illus- trious career, showcases his evolution as an artist, one whose unique style is charac- terized by intricate designs, u n c o m m o n a t t e n t i o n t o detail and exuberant use of color. T o a c c o m m o d a t e t h i s remarkable gift, the Muse- um of Glass will start con- str uction this spr ing on a new gallery as well as other museum upgrades – the first capital renovation project since the museum opened in 2002. When completed, the Lino Tagliapietra Legacy Gallery will be the only per- manent gallery in the country dedicated to the artist and his work. At approximately 4,000 square feet, the Lino Tagli- apietra Legacy Gallery will be a b l e t o d i s p l a y a b o u t 5 0 p i e c e s a t o n e t i m e . A b o u t two-thirds of the $25 million renovation budget has been r a i s e d t h r o u g h i n d i v i d u a l donations, foundation grants a n d g o v e r n m e n t s o u r c e s ; fundraising efforts continue. C o n s t r u c t i o n w i l l t a k e about six months, followed by additional time for the curatorial team to install the gallery's inaugural exhibit called Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro. No opening date has been set. As currently conceived, Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro will display six vignettes that f o r m t h e s e t t i n g f o r w o r k produced between 1998 and 2023. Also on display will be three installations: Adven- turine Secret Garden, Emer- a l d C i t y , a n d A v v e n t u r a Massai. Large photo murals throughout the new space will document the artist's d r a m a t i c j o u r n e y f r o m Venice to Tacoma. " W e a r e h o n o r e d t h a t Maestro Lino Tagliapietra has selected the Museum of Glass to display his archival collection and share his lega- cy," said Debbie Lenk, Muse- um of Glass executive direc- t o r . " T h i s i s t h e m o s t important acquisition in the history of our museum, and one that will celebrate the Pacific Northwest's promi- nence in the history of this art form and cement our sta- tus as a destination glass art experience." T a g l i a p i e t r a , b o r n i n 1 9 3 4 , h a s b e e n c r e a t i n g innovative and bold glass art for more than 75 years. He became an apprentice glass- b l o w e r a t t h e a g e o f 1 1 , exhibiting an amazing dex- terity for glass at an early age. He earned the title of Maestro when he was just 21. In 1979, Tagliapietra visit- ed Seattle for the first time, where he introduced stu- d e n t s a t t h e n e a r b y Pilchuck Glass School to the traditions of Venetian glassblowing. His generosity in sharing his knowledge and techniques helped shape t h e i d e n t i t y o f A m e r i c a n glassblowing and strength- ened the Northwest's pivotal role in the medium. For two decades, Tagli- apietra was a frequent visi- tor to the Museum of Glass, completing 19 residencies a n d a p p e a r a n c e s i n t h e Museum's Hot Shop, always t o e n t h u s i a s t i c s t a n d i n g - room-only audiences. His first solo exhibit there was in 2008, followed by additional s o l o s h o w s i n 2 0 1 2 a n d 2014. "Lino's impact on glass cannot be overstated: he has changed how glassmakers pursue and view the materi- al," said Hot Shop director Benjamin Cobb. "His pas- s i o n a n d c u r i o s i t y a r e boundless, and his depth of knowledge and skill working with hot glass is unmatched. He shared his art with any- o n e w h o w a s w i l l i n g t o w a t c h , l i s t e n a n d u n d e r - stand what he was doing, c h a n g i n g t h e f a c e o f t h e American studio glass move- ment." In addition to creating the n e w g a l l e r y s p a c e , o t h e r c h a n g e s a r e a f o o t a t t h e Museum of Glass. The muse- um's theater will be convert- ed into more gallery space for rotating exhibits, and the building's infrastructure will be updated to include state- of-the-art lighting, interac- t i v e a u d i o / v i s u a l c o m p o - nents, more on-site storage and improved environmen- tal controls. The new design was handled by James Car- penter Design Associates and Studio Unseen Light. T h e a r c h i t e c t i s B a s s e t t i Architects and the general contractor is BNBuilders. "The new space will give us additional opportunities t o s h o w t h e m u s e u m ' s world-class collection and invite visitors into the still- evolving story of glass art," said museum curator Katie Buckingham. "Behind-the- scenes improvements like lighting and HVAC are criti- cal to the care of our grow- ing collection and will create a dynamic backdrop for the artwork in our galleries." Lino's last public appear- ance at the Museum of Glass was on March 4, 2023, in an invitation-only event that brought together many of the artists who had worked with him in the past. A film crew was there, as well, cap- turing both the sadness and the joy evoked at what was the maestro's last major US appearance. It was at this event that the donation was announced by the artist and his family, and the museum made public its intention to c r e a t e a l e g a c y g a l l e r y t o house the gift. T h e f o o t a g e f r o m t h a t e v e n t b e c a m e p a r t o f t h e d o c u m e n t a r y f i l m , S o n o Lino, which premiered at t h e S e a t t l e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Film Festival in May 2023. Directed by Jacob Patrick, the 76-minute documentary was shot in Murano, Venice, Seattle and Tacoma. The Museum of Glass is home to the West Coast's l a r g e s t a n d m o s t a c t i v e m u s e u m g l a s s s t u d i o . I t attracts nearly 100,000 visi- tors a year, and hosts more than 50 visiting artists annu- ally. During the upcoming renovation, its traditional gallery spaces will be closed, but the Hot Shop, smaller exhibits and education pro- gramming will remain open. RITA CIPALLA M u s e u m o f G l a s s d e s i g n s n e w g a l l e r y dedicated to the art of Lino Tagliapietra SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY Lino Tagliapietra works with an assistant in the Hot Shop at the Museum of Glass in March 2023, one of his last major public appearances (Photo: Russell Johnson); bottom right, Silea, 2000, glass, by Lino Tagliapietra (Photo: Russell Johnson)

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