AFRO CELOTTO
BIOGRAPHY
Afro was born in Venice the 24th of August 1963. He has been involved in art glass creation since he was only 15 working with the legendary artist Lino Tagliapietra. Apprenticeship in "F3 International" art glass. "First master" glassmaker in the "La Murrina" international glass factory, specialized in two of the oldest tecniques: filigrana and murrina. When Lino Tagliapietra left "F3 International" to open his own studio, Afro was asked to replace him and so he began first master in F3. After a co-operation with other factories and workshops, in 1999 Afro has opened his own art studio with the younger talents GC. Tagliapietra and L. Vidal. Afro masters the most difficult tecniques, incalmo, filigrana, reticello, murrina, cold work, but, opening his studio, he has moved beyond excellence in execution and now finally feels free to devote his focus to his artistic expression and unique works. Afro has the priviledge of an important artistic relationship with Pino Signoretto, generally considered the greatest master for heavy glass sculptures in Murano Island and member of Dale Chihuly's team. During his creative experience Afro and his team have cooperated with several international artists and their artworks were exhibited in art galleries, museums and exhibitions all over the world.
AFRO ARTWORKS AVAILABLE IN OUR GALLERY >>>
ART CRITICISM
In our opinion Afro is one of the best glassmakers in Murano Island. Often the masters reproduce several times their most beautiful pieces, going around the same few concepts during their whole life and making thinner the border between the good craftman and the real artist. This is not Afro's philosophy. Maybe accidentally, probably for his innate and evident talent, since the beginning of his apprenticeship Afro has been working with the best Murano masters in the first "piazza". He is legitimately proud of each piece and he willingly explains the technical features and the ideas behind each one. He gets excited when he talks about his works: he shows us his last huge glass vase, an incredible bottle with perfect incalmos and murrina, a complex vessel, a strange blown sculpture representing a multicoloured fish, than another vase, a filigree drop, a goblet, again vessels... On his artworks Afro exercises his extraordinary skills. Each piece is an incredible example of technical ability: incalmo, complex filigree, murrina and rods compositions, often textured with different and deep grindings. But the freedom of expression that appears so clearly in his artworks is impressive. The slender silhouettes together with the daring stance of Afro's objects create a sensational, natural and dynamic concept. The careful study of the alternation of opacity and transparency allows bands of light to filter inside and outside the vessel. The colour combinations are sometimes daring, sometimes classic and rarefied, sometimes they refer to natural materials, always contemporary and innovative
Our cooperation with Afro ended, but we still have inventory to sell. To have a direct contact with Afro Celotto you can write to his email afrocelotto@yahoo.com
Additional Resources:
MURANO GLASS
GLOSSARY
>>
VENETIAN GLASS: THE ORIGIN AND THE HISTORY >>
ACTION PHOTOS
>>
MURANO
GLASSBLOWING VIDEOS
>>
Other glass artists in our team:
Davide Fuin,
Carlo Tosi "caramea",
Vio &
Naccari,
Badioli,
Ferro
brothers
