16.5 x 16.2 cm
"Glass is hard, inflexible and incorruptible by nature, mysterious in its essence
- a hard material to work.
If one mishandles glass or works with it without due care and attention, it will reveal its fragile nature. But if one truly loves glass and tries to understand its needs, it will reveal its infinite creative possibilities a bit at a time allowing for an extraordinary depth of colour and for the ‘mystery’ of lucid surfaces, which can be transformed into mesmerizing opacities.
My mission is to constantly discover glass hoping that it will slowly reveal more of its secrets to me." -Massimo Micheluzzi
As I gaze at the glass mosaic of Massimo Micheluzzi, which has just arrived from Venice, I am overcome with a strange feeling of nostalgia. Among Micheluzzi's latest works, some are evocative of a tortoiseshell design, the stone paving in a Japanese garden, or the dyed patterns of a kimono design. At the same time, they also conjure up happy memories of the old buildings lining the canals of Venice, their walls, roofs, and windows. For this exhibition, we are very honored to collaborate with our dear friend and respected gallerist, Barry Friedman, for the first time. The older works that highlight this exhibition date back several years and comprise the Barry collection; the dull gleam and texture of the jet black glass or the semi-transparent glass that seems to undulate in the breeze like a feathered robe possess an ever-changing beauty. I would also like to express my gratitude to Mr. Micheluzzi for the beautiful new pieces. I believe his works will fit in with the Japanese art crafts that the Ippodo Gallery has specialized in up until now. The harmony of these Italian pieces in our Japanese setting fills me with excitement. I cannot wait for the exhibition to open.
Shoko Aono
