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Presentation
SIMPLE BRUSHSTROKES
Gino Seguso
I wanted to start this notebook with a fable, a local one, of our Venetian lagoon, perhaps one written by Alberto Toso Fei, but I think that by showing this collection of works, I will represent a thousand fairy tales. Only through photographs, as to not jinx anything, you can see a black cat, no witch or fairy or prince charming, without a lamp that requires rubbing. I will describe the works in the collection "OPALINE SFUMATA", as if the catalogue itself for this collection were on display because my hope is that it becomes just that. Archimede Seguso used to explain his ideas, his inspirations, with a work or a group of works, as if it were the completion of what he had imagined, while completely showing himself. Allow me this comparison: “As in springtime hidden nature opens itself to life and to our eyes, blossoming and flourishing, thus, the approaching of an event, such as an exhibition (Biennale, Triennale, etc.) or even simply a fair, the inspiration Archimede conceived, exploded in him becoming, the seed of the pieces created that would then be presented for and on that occasion.” It was my desire to give “a title” to these small groups in this collection, in the manner and with the thought of how I viewed them and chose them, dusty from the shelf, in the museum, to describe my emotions that I hope will endure as well as to provide a key so that others can also share them. Going back in time? Back to being a child again? Nooo...! Simply put, being well! That's how I see this collection, which started out as a collection of brushstrokes, but could be different shades of sweet colours, embellished with gold. They were made dreamy by a thin veil of opaline that envelops them as the November fog embraces Venice making it evanescent and mysterious. The collection is attractive because of its sweetness, because of the simple fable that Archimede, once again, tells us with these selections that he had created specifically to introduce himself at the Trade Fair in Milan that year: 1954. Exhibiting at a trade fair was and has always been a huge job with enormous effort. In the factory, the preparations underway with the new fragile samples to be submitted to the market. At the Fair, setting up the stand in just a few short hours at night, always disturbed by high heat or extreme cold, then the exhibit. Finally, customer orders and sales. The real reason for all these labours! How great was and is the satisfaction when the new product is successful and perfectly pinpoints what the market is looking for. That is exactly what happened that year. Presenting oneself at an exhibition, even a collective one, with new ideas that have been realised, was and is less physically laborious, but with more trepidation. Avoiding the mundane in new things, making beauty triumph, naturally. Archimede never intended to produce art. A great craftsman, he wanted to provide quality and make his buyer happy. With this sequence of glass forms he demonstrated so much more, his soul with unsurpassable simplicity, as well as the artistic content of high craftsmanship. Seven/eight years ago, I visited Brazil, I was astonished but very proud, seeing exhibits at antique shops, galleries, objects from this collection clearly to remember the author, Archimede Seguso. Once I returned home and I carried out some research, I learned: “In the 1940s/60s, through our distributor, “Importadora Italiana”, Brazil was one of the most important markets for our factory. We also sold these pieces.” Today, the Museum of Archimede Seguso, exhibits some specimens, and it is open and can be visited by appointment. The visits are guided, and we put in great effort to tell the story of our beloved glass with a great desire to share. In our Museum, you will not find the fairy tale that I, drawing inspiration, have imagined, especially since the exhibition space does not allow it; but, certainly, in observing this small selection, which makes its artisan culture of the highest craftsmanship, alive and understandable, you will be able to enjoy, together with the air of Archimede that it is all around, if not mine and his, your own fairy tale. Share it. It had always been a desire of Archimede to make his usable, in the simplest and most naïve way, natural as he was, without arrogance and vanity, because that is what makes us all always that much happier.
The Fabulous Fifties
Artworks, Tales, Thoughts
Semplicità
It is the natural simplicity of Archimede that wins me over; I look and look once again and surely I am fascinated and attracted by the grandeur of these small objects: pure lines, blue colour faded to opaline, familiar shapes. Even just a mere reminder, imprinted in memory, satisfies me... And it's sensual to caress it.
Contrasti nell'armonia
Playing with the shapes of the vases and the big box is typical of Archimede. I would define these as strong, masculine forms; sure as constructions destined to bear witness to the past. Compact, they are marked by his style. They will always stand out because represent the glass-making model of the Seguso school.
La Danza del Delfini
In front of the prow of the boat sailing on the sea of Zadar barely rippled by a light breeze from the northeast, two friendly dolphins do somersaults, jumps, evolutions, dives. The surface of the water caresses the evolutions in their game. They are surely mother and child because they sometimes lovingly caress each other when they are not playing with the shadows produced by the speed of the boat. It's an unforgettable sight to have two giants so close together....good guys who'd be happy to sink us with just a flick of their fins. In this wonderful moment as I enjoy the calm and endless sea with nature’s goodness, on such a clear day, with my family, I am happy.
Forme in contrasto
Difference and contrast enrich and complement. Surely it is the mind of Archimede, so creative and unsatisfied, to have the necessity of combining a thousand solutions for every idea. He never dwells on a form, on a colour, on a technique. He always wants to complete his constantly volcanic thinking..
Le case di Burano
When returning after a night of fishing, the sailors, still faraway in the distance in the boats, distinguished their homes from the colour. It is a comfort to the fisherman as he waits to embrace his family again, to distinguish his home in the haze of dawn. He feels that it is thanks to the help of Morgan le Fay, that he has arrived as soon as he catches a glimpse of it. Did he actually fear never seeing it again? That he could become lost on his course? Is this the reason why the houses of Burano are painted in different colours. In Leuca in the ancient estate of St. Maura a fine winery of the Republic of Venice, the houses in the Buranelli district are equally colourful.
Superbia alterigia superiorità
The gait, the physicality sometimes, show the personality of the individual. Clothes make the man? Today, in this world of appearances, of masquerades, of deceptions, clothe contribute to creating what is not there. The great values of man can be found, much often, where they are not seen. A good, uncomplicated mind has a hard time understanding the globalised world.
Rotondità arcaiche e nuove
Forms as evanescent as the bubbles with which they are filled. I wasn't there, but like Rosa Barovier Mentasti remembers, this invention by Archimede is present in these captivating forms. Adding to the lightness, the glass object is also a bubble.
Laguna Blu
At the end of a clear September evening, you love the lagoon even more. Everything all around turns an increasingly intense shade of blue. You are immersed in the unreachable infinite and what you can touch is the breath of a light breeze brushing against you, it is an indefinite lapping in the distance, it is the small unknown light in the distance, perhaps the light of the fisherman, it is the salty fragrance of the lagoon. You are alone and for once you have everything.
Portaombrelli
This wonderful huge vase allows me to see again in my memory, my father Archimede’s strength while working, blowing, shaping, making the flame soften this huge mass of glass in the furnace and balance it on a large iron rod. At the same time, it reminds me of the effort, the refinement. I smell the sweat of the master. I enjoy his presence. The greatness of the man, the awareness of the uniqueness, of the enormous skill of the great master from Murano. All those who have experienced the grace of the dance of fire in his work may remember these moments, as when he forged a gnome, on a Saturday or Sunday morning in 1959. It was so heavy that I could not hold it up, cooled, to keep it up; the steel rod bent, as he brought it still glowing, to the flame inside the oven, he was able to save it, but one of the gnome's shoulders cracked as it touched the cold floor. Mr. Bruce Eichner absolutely had to have it. The gnome, in a green colour, lives beloved, in New York. This too is a memory of Archimede’s furnace that fills my heart.
Mare calmo
Cogliere il guizzo, attendere il nuovo movimento
Three fish meet and dart into the small canal where the water stagnates. The oldest one says, “My den is in that palace. It is the Doge's palace and my ancestors have always governed in this channel; you too must obey me!” The youngest one, with a very quick dart replied: “See how fast I am? I was the one who saved you from the fisherman's net by making you run after me to eat me. You owe me your life as well as some gratitude.” The third, a little slyly sentences, “Follow me quickly, for you do not realise that the water in this canal is polluted and if you do not hurry and reach the San Marco Basin to get a mouthful of pure water, we will all become a stale fry-up.”
Tre vasi a coste leggermente torsadè
Oval, round, square, pink, blue, green, small, large, medium. They are music. It is so pleasing to imagine how shapes and colours are like musical notes, a coloured symphony.
Tu parla, io mangio
Even though our moms always told us it was rude to talk with a full mouth, this rooster ignored that advice! He criticises while eating and does not even respect anyone’s long-winded haughty crowing! Not very sensible ...
Andiamo a funghi
Where? Obviously only in the woods of the fairies. It is a rosy day, and it is bound to end in the best way possible.
Cip Cip... La tenerezza del pulcino commuove anche gatto Silvestro
The chick, with its delicate down enveloping it and its incessant demand for food, transmitting sympathy and tenderness. Children want to caress it; they are attracted by the constant chirping, and they want to hold it in their hands, holding its feathers against their cheeks to feel the softness. Not so for the fox, though, who, if he catches a glimpse of the chick, will swallow it up so quickly as to not even notice the taste. I say, "But if you like it so much, put in a little salt, a little pepper, a little oil and enjoy it while sitting at the table with a good glass of red wine and the inevitable white napkin knotted behind the neck”. These foxes are wild! Certainly, not very well-mannered.
Quaack... Quaack... Borbotta l'Anatra mentre cerca cibo
The duck mumbles as it searches for food, while it rinses its beak on the surface of the water repeatedly, looking for algae and some small fish, moving its webbed paws back and forth, so as not to move. At the slightest danger it succeeds while standing still, in taking great speed and getting up in its clumsy flight.
Indifferenza
It looks like a snapshot of our time. The two neighbours never look at each other. They live next door, but they live at different heights.
Non scherzo. Ti amo.
A beautiful duck was never with its family. It observed its reflection in the last green step full of algae of the stairway of the island of St. George. Its beak, at sunset, became fiery, its golden head, held with majesty, with its body, well made and sinuous, moved like a swan. With its companion, it spent the entire day walking about, in a single file, the numerous offspring of sweet ducklings following along. But the quacking that filled the day as they searched for kelp ended, she felt full of herself and so she hushed her husband with a blunt “I do not joke, I love you”. The husband, however, discovers that family is also made for talking and sharing and soon finds another meaningless duck to quack with all the time. Beautiful Duck, all alone and always at attention, strutting about ...but with no husband.
Riposo!
The representation of wellness and the sweetness in doing nothing. But this is not true! With the heat and a full belly, you can never really tell how much these people think, during those hours, and if it is true that they are changing the world.
La raccolta della mela verde
Which princess will be the one to receive the apple of beauty? There must be many apples to be picked because every woman deserves her apple. Huge baskets for their harvest. They tell us that Paris gave Helen the apple of beauty. We each have our own Helen to whom we can lovingly express her image as it is in our heart.
L'Anatroccolo
Even the ugly duckling is a beautiful swan if it has the cruet of invisible happiness. It is enough to be considered minimally different to be set aside, to not be able to enjoy the privileges of boring normality. Instead, we all benefit from diversity, because inside we are unique and, inside, we always feel unique.
Natura morta
The representation described in the painting by the artist adorns and enriches the house and it is an intentional addition to breathe the desired atmosphere. These pieces in the home help to create elegance, completeness, personality, like a still life on the wall, they too while resting on the cabinet.
Ornamento Barocco
The gilded volutes, of which the handles are made, give the object a grandiose and rich tone, which I would improperly call baroque because it feels pompous.
Sembra un'ostrica aperta
A mother-of-pearl shell, green like the sea, seemingly moving about majestically like a moray eel. You almost feel the need for it to caress you. You can look inside, there's no pearl, because it is the pearl.
Casa di Bambole, dolcezza
Small objects to touch gently while playing, imagining you are with many smiling, motionless, open-eyed dolls in their home. It is also possible to hear the sound from a music box playing continuously.
Il Cesto di Sissi
That is what it reminded me of when, very heavy, I took it from the shelf, perhaps because of the soft golden ruby colour; so feminine, warm, and precious.
Fortuna e Forza
The elephant represents patience, wisdom, intelligence; with its trunk pointing upwards it brings good luck and happiness. The bear personifies strength, courage, will, pride, kindness. Playing with you was a lot of fun because with your long nose you tickled me all over. Even you, bear, with your kindness, you have made me appreciate the game and I had a great time. I hope we remain friends and that we will meet again because our families are now bringing us far away from here. Years go by and the old elephant finds himself in a zoo showing off to children and picking up fruit and sweets with his trunk. His heart is always heavy remembering the time he was free. Near his large cage there were always rocks with a small uninhabited pond. One morning, the elephant hears a commotion and sees a huge crane lifting a big box. Poor bear, he too ends up a prisoner, but, fortunately, close to his old childhood friend. This is how they recognize each other and tell each other about the adventures that life reserved for them. At least they spend their sad captivity together. Pride, courage, strength, kindness have been locked in a cage by man. So much evil and sadness.
Vaso ornamentale. Sul caminetto del salotto di Archimede troneggia
It is part of my memories as something obvious. I've always appreciated it in this setting, to me it has always been much more a part of the building rather than the furnishings.
Vaso dal collo verde. Piacevole, sensuale, pieno di curve, accattivante
The vase with the long noble neck feels beautiful! It thanks the good Lord for its shape every morning when the water inside it is changed to arrange the freshly cut flowers and it is happy because it feels that once again it is crowned king.
Piccole onde senza vento
Il mare gorgoglia prima della tempesta
The concept of the living sea is reinforced by the figures of the shell and the fish, at the same time it also shows the image of its surface boiling with the shape of the sweets tray of oriental inspiration.
Fogli ripiegati
A light breeze, caresses and moves the curtain of the window of the study...several written pages escape from the desk, flying, swaying...one, stands much higher than the others, it lands far away, in the corner of the room... another, shakes and shakes some more, it rests on the ground after bumping into a chair...a third sheet of paper seems to roll up, it shifts slightly...Each of them contains some writing, a story, a secret perhaps that a wonderful breath of wind has dispersed or spread about, it has given it life.
La vie en rose
A shell to contain fruit, a basket in opaline and ruby glass. Everything is romantic. It is possible to sense the fresh fragrance of powder.
Bottiglia, vaso portadolci in vetro opaline verde
Although the shapes were conceived in the 40s, they represent the 50s very well, too. The colour is representative of our lagoon. Archimede creates and recreates.
Classicità
It seems impossible, but in our previous lives we stored huge amounts of information, information that we retain, modify, and sometimes externalize. Like this! Everything starts in us from what has become innatism.
Ricordi d'infanzia. Ninnoli e Giocattoli
The tender world of innocent childish imagination gathers these rounded shapes pleasing to the touch. They bring pleasure, they arouse memories.
L'uccellino dice: "Sono qui perché sono nato giallo"
Each one of us is born in a place, and, at the outset, receives the education of the people and of the civilization to which it belongs. From the moment we open our eyes, we are part of that place, of that family, of that society. Does our life belong to the community?
Reminescenze degli anni Trenta
Serious, elegant shapes come to mind. The four-leaf clover is a typical object by Archimede, and it is the good luck charm par excellence.
Il momento del silenzio. C'è molta felicità
This is how Alberto Toso Fei recounts the landing in Torcello after the storm of San Francis. As the Saint came down to earth, the birds began to sing with joy, until Francis had to intervene: “little birds, brothers, stop singing until we have finished praising God”. And the little creatures, obedient, did not utter a single chirp until they had received permission from the Saint to resume their warbling.