Con pudore Masuda Hiromi studia la venezianità vetraria da un quarto di secolo. E trova forse inconsapevole, in questa prassi del lavoro, la chiave d’ accesso all’ archetipo del vetro stesso, quello che pervade la storia dell’ umanità mediterranea degli anni caldei e egizi fino alla Roma antica,in quel percorso dualistico che ha sempre viste opposte la pratica della pasta vitrea modellata e quella della massa fluida da soffiare.
Masuda a Venezia soffia il vetro che produce: compie il gesto antico.
Ma lo compie con la sublimazione convinta che è quella della sua cultura, come gesto concettuale e quindi totale.
Evita ogni attrazione per il materialismo. Ne fa nascere oggetti dall’apparenza semplice, bolle soffiate che lascia liberamente deformarsi; ne forma cumuli che sono vere e proprie istallazioni. (Philippe Daverio)
TOUCHABLE ART
PLAY THE GLASS – MASUDA HIROMI
SPACE AND TIME - TSUCHIDA YASUHIKO
A journey from the Maremma to Japan, passing through Venice, with art as a common thread: here comes to Capalbio “Touchable Art”, an artwork expo by Masuda Hiromi and Tsuchida Yasuhiko.
From August 4th to 19th, “Il Frantoio”, that has always been in first place in the life of the Tuscan village, will host in its evocative location at 10, Piazza della Provvidenza, the peculiar artworks by the two Japanese artists who, after having had important creative experiences in Venice, mix the ultimate traits of their millenary culture with the secrets of glass shaping unveiled by the grand glass masters from Murano. Exchange and cultural fusion, according to the principles that made “la Serenissima” an historical bridge with the Far East. It is a very peculiar and hardly repeatable event that takes to the Maremma village the artworks by masters who have already gained worldwide popularity through memorable expositions in la Biennale di Venezia and in the most significative locations in Europe. “Touchable art” goes along with a path – that is imposing itself in the last art and collectibles trend – of increasing attention towards the “glass”. A phenomenon evolving, supported by the peculiarity of the subject, but also by the rediscovery of the path that takes to the creation of any glass work. According to the artists, «in a material like glass, singular and intriguing is the connection between idea and manufacture, in which persists a millenary tradition to refer to, but where the invention, however, still represents an essential nature indivisible from its cultural background». This interest is shared also by museums, art galleries and auction houses that notice an ever-increasing interest towards this kind of creations, by enthusiasts, but also by a surprisingly bigger audience.
"Play the Glass" is, by now, Masuda Hiromi’s basic concept that the artist has been carrying forward for more than 20 years. In the English word “Play”, there are two meanings: sport and sound. “Sound” because, according to Masuda, the action of a master blowing the glass can be compared to playing a trumpet, so, a good master has his own rhythm in shaping his art work in the kiln. “Sport” because Masuda, in the creation of his artworks, “plays” with the glass, blowing it, pulling it, squeezing it. Whoever watches Masuda creating her works may think that she is actually having fun instead of working. And it is also easy to think that children, seeing her installations, believe to be in some sort of glass “Disneyland”.
"Space and Time" by Tsuchida Yasuhiko.
Tsuchida combines the work of painter and the one of glass master, investigating everyday life both from a formal and an esthetic point of view. From his production, tightly bound to the resolution of aspects and realities of everyday life in a simple geometric shape, originate some artworks dedicated to the traditional Japanese culture. The Bamboo collection celebrates the eternal time of the material that most represents Japanese simplicity and tradition, capturing it in the nobility of the vitreous space. Hearts collection, on the other hand, originates from the union of space and time, in a different dimension from the one perceived. A dimension in which the sentiments float, in a crystalline liquid of pureness and spirituality.
