Murano’s Ferro Brothers: Carved in Glass

Working with abrasive spinning wheels, the Ferro brothers cold work glass vessels in brilliant colors. Their dramatic cuts are sometimes five layers deep, and they cradle each piece for hours, days, and often weeks, painstakingly grinding away to reveal what lies underneath. There is always the danger that the piece will shatter, so it is a painstaking process. The finished vessel is a passionate work of art in vibrant translucent colors and energetic textures.

Pietro and Riccardo Ferro were born in 1975 and 1980, respectively. Under the guidance of their father, cold-working Maestro Paolo Ferro, the brothers worked in various Murano factories to learn traditional techniques, including different grinding effects such as diamond scribing, stipple engraving and the bold Battuto, which resembles hammered metal.

In 2000, the Ferros opened La Moleria, a workshop for grinding glass, where they created masterpieces for world-renowned artists including Lino Tagliapietra and Pino Signoretto. They also collaborated with famous Murano factories, such as Venini and Seguso. Today, they are more focused on their own unique glass art designs and their work can be found in prestigious public and private collections worldwide. They have visited the US to meet their collectors and demonstrate their methods at the Pilchuck Glass School and the Corning Museum of Glass.

Says Irene McClellan, Duncan McClellan Gallery: “Riccardo and Pietro Ferro represent a new generation of glass artists from the Island of Murano, Italy. Continuing their father’s legacy, they have become renowned coldworking specialists in their own rite. They delve deeply into the possibilities that cutting and carving through layers of glass can reveal and create intriguing textural interest on glass artwork.”

From April 30 to May 18, the Wiener Museum of Decorative Glass (WMODA), Hollywood, Florida, presents Carved in Glass, a selling exhibition of the Ferro Brothers’ new work. Riccardo will attend opening night on April 29. Sergio Gnesin, Italian glass expert and author, serves as guest curator of the show. All art sales benefit the educational programs at WMODA, which is a 501c3 not-for-profit museum.

Says Louise Irving, Executive Director and Curator at WMODA: “Venice has been producing glass since the 10th century, and Murano became the main center in 1291 when glassmakers were ordered to relocate their furnaces to the small island in the Venetian lagoon to mitigate fire hazards. Over the centuries, the Murano masters have changed our perception of glass as an artistic medium. People can experience the magic of Murano at WMODA on Tuesday, April 29, when Riccardo Ferro from La Moleria opens the museum’s exhibition of brilliant carved glass art by the fabulous Ferro Brothers.”