DAYTONA BEACH, FL.- Venini: The Art of Glass is on view at Daytona Beach’s Museum of Arts & Sciences, and continues through September 23rd. This stunning display of Venetian glass will delight the senses of visitors through curved lines and vivid colors. It is the work of the Italian glass manufacturing company Venini and will showcase over 45 pieces of designer art glass. All pieces are hand-made by a distinguished roster of highly specialized artisans. Venini artist Alessandro Mendini once commented, that “Venini's unmistakable style is the fruit of a magic blend of exclusive techniques, a few exceptional designers, and the choice of certain colors.”

Glass: An Italian Secret: For centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire Venice was seen as the hub of glass-making for all of Europe. Venetian glass was famously clear, full of color, and the secret techniques used to create the glass were unheard of in other parts of the world. In 1292 the city of Venice banned all glassmaking to the small island of Murano in order to end local fires being started by the extreme heat used to form glass. This act made Venetian glass techniques more illusive than ever before and made the established glass making families famous. At the height of this fame the daughters of these families were allowed to marry into Venetian nobility. Ultimately, in the 16th century, the prized trade secrets of the small island were spread to the rest of the world and other regions began to create comparable glassware. Glassmaking struggled in Venice after this because many artists were slow to embrace modern trends and continued to create traditional pieces. However, in the 1930’s Murano glass again stepped into the light when glasshouses such as Venini were formed bringing modern colors, clean lines, and new techniques to the island.

Venini: A Glass Revival: In 1921, Paolo Venini, a lawyer from Milan founded his glass factory in partnership with Venetian glass artist Giacomo Cappellin, bringing fresh design ideas to Murano. Within two years, the high artistic quality and originality of the Venini-Cappellin partnership was recognized at international exhibitions, leading one critic to comment, "Beyond doubt, the art of glass has been resurrected in our country." The partnership dissolved in 1925, and Venini went into business for himself, attracting a variety of talented designers to the factory. Between the World Wars, Paolo Venini continued to be one of those responsible for a new artistic approach in the Venetian glass industry. The Venini name is synonymous with great design. The company has worked with many major artists over the years including Vittorio Zecchin, Dale Chihuly, Gio Ponti, Carlo Scarpa, Fulvio Bianconi, and Ettore Sottsass.