Lot 28
28
YOICHI OHIRA (B. 1946)
THE COLLECTION OF FRANCESCO AND CHIARA CARRARO, VENICEFrancesco Carraro and the works of Yoichi OhiraThe collection of Chiara and Francesco Carraro comprises one of the most significant and complete holdings of works by the Japanese glass artist Yoichi Ohira.It was Francesco Carraro’s deep understanding of the medium of Venetian glass of the 20th century that led to his appreciation and subsequent collection of works by Yoichi Ohira. Known for his uncompromising view of Murano glass produced after the 1970s, as well as contemporary studio glass, Francesco spoke very clearly about the banality of contemporary glass. In his view, as as a collector with a profound understanding of Venetian glass and an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject matter second to none, Carraro criticized its lack of imagination, poor aesthetic qualities and the unsuccessful execution of many works produced by glass artists working around the end of the 20th century.Not so, for the work of Yoichi Ohira. Carraro displayed a great passion for the works created by the Japanese artist, mainly because of his extraordinary and unique designs and the complex techniques Ohira employed. This could only have been realized by the most skilled blowers remaining in Murano at that time. It is not surprising, as it fit Carraro’s passionate and profound understanding of the principles of Venetian glassmaking, his curious mind for art and culture, and an almost pedantic view on quality.The Carraro collection of Ohira glass, displayed with great care in the context of one of the greatest collections of Venetian glass in the world, includes pieces from the early, more restrained period, up to the last works, which Ohira describes as follows:“The technique that I have used in recent years can be described as mosaic composition with glass canes and use of powders. This allows me to draw a parallel with the world of high fashion. I personally prepare the fabrics (in glass), these are then sewn and shaped (blown and cut) into costumes (works in glass).”
YOICHI OHIRA (B. 1946)

A UNIQUE 'FINESTRE N. 30, LA VALLE BLUE' VASE, 2007

Details
YOICHI OHIRA (B. 1946)
A UNIQUE 'FINESTRE N. 30, LA VALLE BLUE' VASE, 2007
executed by Maestro Andrea Zilio and Maestro Giacomo Barbini, hand-blown glass murrine, with granular inserts, partial battuto, inciso and polished surface
14 3/8 in. (36.5 cm.) high
signed and dated Yoichi Ohira m° a. Zilio m° g. Barbini 1/1 unico murano Friday 13-07-2007
Provenance
Barry Friedman, Ltd., New York;
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Literature
B. Friedman (ed.), Venice. 3 Visions in Glass, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira, Laura de Santillana, exhibition catalogue, New York, Barry Friedman Gallery, Kansas, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Naples, Naples Museum of Art, Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs,
New York/Stuttgart, 2009, pp. 269 and 437 for an illustration of the present vase.
Exhibited
New York, Barry Friedman Ltd., Venice. 3 Visions in Glass, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira, Laura de Santillana, October 2009 - February 2010;
Naples, Naples Museum of Art, Venice. 3 Visions in Glass, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira, Laura de Santillana, October 2010 - January 2011;
Paris, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Venice. 3 Visions in Glass, Cristiano Bianchin, Yoichi Ohira, Laura de Santillana, March - September 2011.

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