Master Class Series Vol. VIII: Working with Murrine with Davide Salvadore
The Corning Museum of Glass
30 minutes, $19.95
In a new half-hour documentary from Corning entitled Working with Murrine with Davide Salvadore, the artist admits he never expected to reach the top level of glassblowing despite his connections (his grandfather was a glassblower who brought him to work at the studio of glass master Alfredo Barbini among others). “To be sure, I always thought I would get to make what I wanted,” said Salvadore, early in the film. “Meaning, not just what I could do technically, but doing my own thing.” Using his considerable talents and undeniable mastery of traditional technique, Salvadore has done exactly that, creating a unique and identifiable style of work that features bold murrine patterns on a series of sculptures shaped like African-stringed instruments that sell for tens of thousands of dollars.
Introduced to glass at the age of 11, Salvadore began working with in the furnaces of Murano, but had trouble with being an apprentice and following orders. When his mother, a jewelry maker on Murano, offered to employ him if he took on the task of learning how to make the beads for her jewelry, he jumped at the opportunity. After learning the trade and setting up shop, the collaboration with his mother catapulted Salvadore’s interest in glass from a disdain for his apprenticeship in the Muranese furnaces,to a dedicated position as a bead maker who eventually was heading a team of 100 workers.
From there, the mother and son team developed a relationship with fashion design houses such as Christian Dior and Yves St. Laurent that sparked in Salvadore a new found desire to take glass in an artistic direction. It was at this point, in 1998, when he abandoned traditional, functional glasswork and began focusing more on sculptural design and broadening his artistic views of glass through his exploration of American Studio Glass.
Not to say that Salvadore abandoned his roots with traditional and Muranese glass as he continues to rely on techniques such as murrine, canes, and the cold-working technique of battuto. As highlighted in the new film, Salvadore skillfully executes the techniques to produce vessels while simultaneously keeping a strong personalized component to his work. All of the pieces he produces during the film are clearly influenced by his profound connection to African culture. Although he has never set foot there, he says he’s found a deeply subconscious connection to the area, the earth tones used in African artwork, and the way Africans express themselves through these colors as well as form.
As the film captures Salvadore skillfully and fluidly producing murrine canes, vessels, and the bodies of African instruments such as the Chitimarra, the documentary is filled with his insights on the importance of the continuation of glassworking within his personal family, as well as within the larger glass community. He is seen surrounded by friends, family, and longtime students who make up a team that embody his dedication to learning, teaching, and continuing a lineage of skilled glassworkers employing traditional Muranese techniques as well as personally developed styles.
—Alica Forneret
TO ORDER:
Working with Murrine with Davide Salvadore, the eighth in a series of master class films presented by The Studio at The Corning Museum of Glass, is available to order online from GlassMarket at The Corning Museum of Glass or by calling 800.723.9156.