Murrano Glass - A Must Read for Glass Collectors

Thanks to blog friend Tony Patti for this article.
Interview with Pino Signoretto on the situation in Murano Glass
Thursday, 18 December 2008
"In the world are regarded as a teacher, one of the most important, but in Murano it makes no difference: even my furnace is at risk of closure, as in all others." It is a bitter outburst, to Signoretto Pino, probably the master glazier currently best known. His works are exhibited in major museums of modern art on the planet, but not that of Murano glass, the place where he lives since she was a child and decided that, despite everything, not to abandon easy to follow temptations. With the glass he can do anything and makes it so well to deceive the eye experts. A few months ago, some 'jokingly, had made a gull glass and had put on a pipe in the lagoon. Well, remained there for 15 days without anyone touch him seemed so real. The last of his business, immortalized in a beautiful book of images, has been playing a Leica, the legendary camera.
The art of Murano glass is much sought after and many pieces have quotes from dizziness, and yet the island the job is at risk, as well as the existence of open furnaces by many generations. May be the only competition of the Chinese? Or the crisis is far from over? "I say just one thing: if the city wants to kill Murano just continue as is doing today. The same school of glass as it is useless: they are the teachers who must teach and nobody asked him. And then, all these rules that have overloaded the companies costs. Gentlemen, we are at the terminus. It is not even a question of lack of new ideas? "Young people today are somewhat 'fearful, lacking in boldness. Making glasses is not easy, but even extremely difficult, making chandeliers is very profitable. Then when one creates something new, all the copy. I also grow before I copied what was my teacher, but then I was disconnected and I took my personality. Today Murano is full of shops like Venice, which does not sell any glass made in Murano, because production is decreasing and then Chinese goods because the cost very little. A glass costs a penny, but there seems? ". But you could compete at these levels? "We could if we wanted it, working hard, because here once we did anything from the ampoules Medicinal Products for light bulbs. I myself, ten years I was in ecstasy while a blow. The mark is not working because it has been for too long to everyone. It is time instead to require shops of Venice and Murano to buy at least 80 percent of production. You can not spoil the name of selling actually Murano glass Chinese. That the write clearly. The sweets, the pin, the clowns were born in Venice and we must oblige sellers glass at least here to sell Murano. It is the culture to form completely and, therefore, should bring in schools knowledge of glass at least in Venice, make compulsory reading a book on glass, and then lead to teachers who retire to make lesson. There are many who would be happy to do so. It is important that our children understand this tradition, but must begin soon. " The same teachers could not be present in the Christmas markets? "Maybe, but nobody calls him. I went in Friuli, to a party, to work the glass. Here in Venice nobody has asked me. We are the heel. When I go in America are considered the padreterno seems to live a dream. I would bridges gold because I establish there. Here no one asks me, but I would be willing to do it for free. " Maybe in Italy the glass is not regarded as art. "In America every two years in a different city meet all larger glass for a fair market where there is everything and there is a confrontation between the protagonists. In Venice was never done such a thing, there's even a fair, as happens in Vicenza instead for gold. A Murano is a museum, but my works and those of other masters of the twentieth century are not there. Abroad does. I refuse to accept the principle that no one is a prophet at home. But the horse of three meters and I have done if it had been done in America would have talked all ". Murano is suffering from declining sales or costs? "It is a matter of costs, and banks do not give us more aid. I sell the glass today and take the money in a month, so I need a bank that will support me. We need the money to cover the cash, while banks are killing us. I 12mila pay per month for gas and are small, there are those who have an enormous furnace that pays 70mila. I pay rent 5mila per month, not to mention salaries, 25 thousand per month. When I was a boy the teachers had three or four houses. Today it is no longer the case. I could run away many years ago when I was a bachelor. To go in the U.S. I had proposed to teach 60mila dollars a month and everything paid, in addition to the opportunity to do what I wanted. But I wanted to stay in Murano. Now, in retrospect, I eat the fingers. " There is generational? "It is another historical issue. Almost none of the sons of teachers want to continue this path. We Caramea, the largest in the glasses, manages to make them thin as a sheet of paper. His son is a great lawyer and earns much more than him.
An article traslated from "Il Gazzettino" by Michele Fullin