New York collectors Nancy Olnick and Giorgio Spanu began collecting
Murano glass in the early 1990s with a purchase at Sotheby’s
Auction House in New York of a green and blue hourglass piece,
Clessidra, designed by Paolo Venini in 1955. Once they placed
this piece next to their Andy Warhol painting Flowers, their
infatuation with Murano glass began. Since that time, their
collection of Murano glass has achieved international prominence
and developed into a comprehensive collection of more than 500
objects.
The Olnick Spanu collection concentrates primarily on vessels,
particularly vases created at the major glass workshops of Murano
from 1910 to the present. Olnick and Spanu make their decisions
based on the extent to which a piece “seduces” them,
and are always excited about entirely new pieces. This has resulted
in informed selections, which are made in consultation with
scholars’ knowledge about Murano glass. The collection
and exhibition testify to the vision and passion of collectors
and their love of the decorative arts.
While both collectors have a shared vision about their collection,
they also acknowledge having personal favorites. Olnick is fascinated
by the way utilitarian and functional forms can be transformed
into works of stunning beauty and visual power. This attracts
her to pieces made by designers such as Carlo Scarpa and Massimo
Vignelli. Spanu’s love for glass tends toward sculptural
influences, and he prefers works by Thomas Stearns and master
glassblower Checco Ongaro. Olnick and Spanu remain active collectors
of pop and modern art, with a noted collection of contemporary
and art deco pieces.
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