A life in Glass
The Origins
1934 – 1988
On August 10, 1934, Murano, Italy welcomed Lino Tagliapietra, into the world. Eleven short years later in 1945, Lino was on his way to becoming the Maestro of Murano when he began working at the Archimede Seguso glass factory.
He remained working there for 10 years.
In 1955, he followed his brother, Silvano, to the Galliano Ferro Glassworks. During his time at Ferro, he rose through the hierarchical ranks, which is typical in Murano furnaces. In less than a year, he became assistant master and eventually became first master in 1957.
A Moment of Transition
1990 – late 90S
In 1990, shortly after becoming an independent artist and opening his own studio in Murano, Lino took part in the exhibition of World Glass at Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art in Sapporo, Japan.
His first published work was in 1994 and was a monograph on his previous works: Lino Tagliapietra: Glasses, Glass, Verres, Glas edited by Giovanni Sarpellon.
Between 1996 and 1998 Lino was invited to the Aperto Vetro exhibition at Palazzo Ducale, Venice where he exhibited the Metamauco installation.
In the same year at the Steuben Glass Factory in Corning, New York, he created a new collection and was awarded the Urban Glass Award for the conservation of glass working techniques.
In a very short time, a second monograph was published: A Venetian Glass Maestro written by Marino Barovier.
The Language Form
Late 90S – mid 2000S
In 2000, a collaborative exhibition by A.D. Copier & Lino Tagliapietra, was displayed at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, Netherlands, titled: Inspiration in Glass. As always, Lino kept creating, and he gained greater recognition for his work.
In 2004, the Maestro’s work received numerous awards including: the Laurea Honoris Causa in Humane Letters at Center College in Danville, Kentucky; President’s Distinguished Artist Award at University of the Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Artist as Hero Award from the National Liberty Museum, and a Philadelphia Artist Visionaries Lifetime Achievement Award from the Museum of Arts and Design, in New York City.
Two years later in 2006, Lino was awarded the Distinguished Educator Award by the James Renwick Alliance at the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C.
In 2007, the Maestro was awarded the 2007 Cambridge American Academy of Art award. In 2008, the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington inaugurated the first monographic retrospective exhibition: Lino Tagliapietra in retrospect: A Modern Renaissance in Glass, curated by Susanne Frantz.
The traveling exhibition, between 2008 and 2010, was presented at: Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery, Washington D.C.; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk, Virginia Palm Springs Museum, Palm Springs, California; Flint Institute of Arts, Flint Minnesota.
Recognition & Distinction
mid 2000s - mid 2010s
From 2009 to the present, he has received many coveted awards for his works and career including: “IIC Lifetime Achievement Award “Italian Cultural Institute Los Angeles, CA Master Teacher/Master Artist, Hite Art Institute, University of Louisville, KY, USA (2010), Honorary Degree “Doctor Of Fine Arts” The Ohio State University (2011), Phoenix Award (2012), Visionary Award, Art Palm Beach, FL(2013), Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass Honors Award USA (2013), Lifetime Achievement Award from the Istituto Veneto di Scienze Lettere ed Arti Venezia (2014); Best Glass Work Award Masterpiece Exhibition London (2015), Loewe craft prize finalist (2017), Key to the city of Danville Kentucky (2017).
Evolving Identities
mid 2010s - 2021
In 2018, Lino was appointed co-president of the Murano Glass Conference. This was the first gatheringin Murano, of the “Glass Art Society” of Seattle, and was organized as an international nonprofit event, with the aim of promoting and inspiring all the global glass communities and all their expressions. In 2018, he was also awarded the “MAM-master of art and craft 2018” award dedicatedto Italian Masterof Art who have distinguished themselves with their works for professional merits while preserving the heritage of Italian art and culture.
In August 2019, Lino celebrated his 40th Anniversary at Pilchuck Glass School. Later that year, are trospective exhibition was introducedat the Glass Museum in Toyama, Japan featuring a large selection of his works from 1954 to the present day.By the end of 2019, Lino received the “The Robert M. Minkoff foundation and the Urban Glass Academic symposium” award.
In 2020, The Maestro exhibited a few of his works in the show, “Venice and the American Glass Studio;” an exhibition that bears witness to his role in the development of glass art internationally. Also, in the same year, the masterand his family created the “Fondazione Lino Tagliapietra” with the purpose of preserving its artistic and cultural history with a selection of works created during his long career.
In 2021, Lino was awarded the Medal of Honor Dark Blue Ribbon in Japan. Last year, Lino was awarded the “King of the Furnace” award during his final blow at the Corning Museum of Glass.
Finally, each of his works represent a different period of his artistic careerand serves as evidence ofhis ability to executethe infinite passion that has always linked him to glass, a passion to which he has dedicated his entire life. The foundation aims to preserve a historical path but also and above allthe desire to promote and protect the art of glass.
A living legacy
2021 - 2026
Although in 2021 Lino announced his decision toretire from working in the furnace, he is still active in research, experimentation, and creation ofunique works and always available to meet and share perspectiveswith students, artists, and glass enthusiasts as he has done for his entire life.
In 2023, Lino hosted a prestigious exhibition at Ca’ Rezzonico, a historic Venetian palace, titled “L’origine del viaggio”. The exhibition brought together twenty-one carefully selected works, offering a thoughtful retrospective of the Maestro’s artistic evolution over the past three decades. Spanning different periods of his career, the collection highlighted not only the refinement of his technique but also the depth and continuity of his creative vision.
In September 2025, the Murano Showroom presented another exhibition during the Venice Glass Week, titled “Lino Evergreen”. In this evocative setting, Lino’s works were displayed within a lush indoor jungle, transforming the space into an immersive environment that invited visitors to experience his art in a more sensory and contemplative way. The vibrant greenery and carefully curated layout created a striking contrast with the glass pieces, enhancing their form, color, and luminosity.
In early 2026, Lino began a new creative project, reuniting with former colleagues Dante Marioni and John Kiley. Together, they collaborated on the creation of the “Drop of Fire”, a striking piece that combined technical mastery with symbolic meaning. The work was later featured during the Closing Ceremony of the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics, where it was carried by Italian athlete Arianna Fontana, bringing it to an international stage. This moment marked an important milestone in Lino’s career, underscoring both the enduring strength of his artistic collaborations and the global recognition of his work.
