OPENING: Lino Tagliapietra to visit Schantz Gallery exhibition on Friday, July 7

This Friday, July 7, Schantz Gallery in Stockbridge, Massachusetts will hold an opening reception to a comprehensive exhibition of Lino Tagliapietra’s work form the last 20 years or so, and the maestro himself will be in attendance. The exhibition includes approximately 30 pieces, mostly comprised of work from the past year, but also some more classic pieces, such as glass panels. “The phenomenal thing is that at 82, that Lino is still creating some of the best work of his career," art dealer Jim Schantz told GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet in a telephone interview, adding that many of these pieces that have gone in some ways beyond what he’s done with his previous, earlier work. "He’s still raising the bar in terms of what can be done with the material.”

Schantz Gallery tends to feature Tagliapietra in major exhibitions about every other year. Given that this exhibition coincides with the Tanglewood’s performance season, a cultural attraction that hosts the Boston Symphony Orchestra and draws a crowd that often also visits the gallery, expectations for this year’s exhibition are high. “We’re dedicating our entire downstairs gallery to Lino’s work,” Schantz said. “We’re anticipating a very receptive crowd.”

Over the past 10 years, Tagliapietra and his family have visited Stockbridge five times.  “We enjoy having Lino visit Stockbridge,” Schantz said. “He really enjoys being in the Berkshires, and this is one of his favorite places to come and visit, so we always enjoy having him and his family with us to celebrate his work and his career.”