The Ferro Brothers Celebrate Contemporary Murano Glass in La Moleria at New River Fine Art

Pietro & Riccardo FerroCourtesy of New River Fine Art

New River Fine Art is proud to announce an upcoming exhibition of Contemporary Murano Glass, featuring over 30+ artworks by Murano's Maestros - Pietro & Riccardo Ferro opening on March 3, 2022, at the Contemporary Art gallery in Fort Lauderdale on Las Olas Blvd.

For centuries, the island of Murano, within the Venetian Lagoon, has been renowned for its glass-making studios and the artists who sculpt with molten glass and fire to create works of art that ignite the imagination. Following secrets that are passed down from Maestro to apprentice through training that can last decades, the tradition of glassmaking has endured and evolved through the centuries.

To fully appreciate the importance of Pietro and Riccardo Ferro, and their contributions to glass art making, one must have an understanding of the history of Murano and the conventions, techniques, and tools employed in the creation of their works.

Pietro & Riccardo FerroCourtesy of New River Fine Art

Over the centuries and all around the world, objects made of crystal and glass have been born of silica and fire, creating molten glass that is then formed through blowing or sculpting with rudimentary tools and decorated using stone spinning wheels (today substituted by metal ones covered with abrasive materials), diamond scribing, and stipple engraving, just to name a few.

In Murano, the idea to carve glass and apply a cold technique to larger glass artifacts such as vessels, bowls, and platters is documented as far back as the 16th Century, following the Bohemian examples. However, Venetian Carved Glass, as we know it today, can be traced to the famous Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (Venice 1906 – Sendai, 1978). In 1940, working as the Artistic Director for the glass studio of Venini, Scarpa presented a collection of never-before-seen works at the 22nd Venice Biennale, including the Velati (veiled), which employed a light grinding process to create an opaque surface, and Battuti (hammered) which featured regular and deep cuts that appeared to have been tapped into the glass.

Pietro & Riccardo FerroCourtesy of New River Fine Art

Since that time, Murano has seen these techniques evolve as the recognition of the Glass Grinders grew, allowing them the opportunity to achieve the status of Maestro over that of mere craftsmen. In the purest tradition of the island, nothing in Murano comes easy and years of practice, dedication, and hard work do not guarantee admission to the short list of Master Carvers.

And so, it was for the Ferro Brothers. Pietro and Riccardo Ferro, born respectively in 1975 and 1980, followed in their father’s, Maestro Paolo, footsteps. Starting at a young age, they worked in different glass-factories until they became expert glass grinders for a few important studios on the Island.

In 1999 Riccardo opened “La Moleria” with his father and was joined two years later by Pietro.

Thanks to their ability and dedication, Pietro and Riccardo, over the years, have helped important glass artists to create some of their masterpieces: Lino Tagliapietra (1999-2003), Philip Baldwin and Monica Guggisberg (1999-2017), Davide Salvadore (2000-Present), Eva Moosbrugger (2003-2016), Afro Celotto (2003-2007), and Pino Signoretto (2007-2010), among others. They have also taught at the prestigious Pilchuck Glass School and at the Corning Museum of Glass.

Having earned the titled of Maestros, the Ferro Brothers works are found in the most important public and private glass collections in the world, and their commitment to innovation, design, and research prefigure a long and volcanic journey in the world of glass art.

Pietro & Riccardo FerroCourtesy of New River Fine Art

La Moleria: Pietro & Riccardo Ferro runs through April 3, 2022, at New River Fine Art 822 E. Las Olas, Blvd. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. For more information, visit www.newriverfineart.com or call 954.524.2100