Venice, 4 August 2021 - Taking place from 4th to 12th September 2021, The Venice Glass Week is the international festival founded in 2017 to celebrate, support, and promote the art of glassmaking: the artistic and economic activity for which the Lagoon City of Venice has been renowned the world over for centuries. The core line-up of events was presented earlier this month at The Venice Glass Week’s inaugural press conference and included GLASS to GLASS as one of the main events in its programme. This year’s festival will build on the success of the 2019 edition and will centre on the theme #VivaVetro! – a title intended to convey a message of positivity, fortitude, and support for the world of glass, especially in light of the challenges of the past year. Glass has always been at the heart of the island and this year sees WonderGlass and Berengo Studio join forces to highlight and celebrate the endless creative possibilities of progressive art and design in glass after a highly challenging eighteen months.

“Despite the challenges faced this past year the Studio has been busy adapting to the circumstances and remote collaborations allowed us to forge ahead with projects such as GLASS to GLASS. It has been a difficult time, but it has also presented opportunities for us to once again reassess what we are doing and how we can improve as we continue to transform the landscape of glass in the world of contemporary art and design.” Adriano Berengo, Berengo Studio

With GLASS to GLASS, both WonderGlass and Berengo Studio showcase an impressive selection of works conceived by internationally acclaimed designers and artists in collaboration with the glass artisans of Murano in two focal locations.Fondazione Berengo’s Art Space in Murano, with its exposed brickwork, stained glass, and rustic beams, perfectly showcases the work of renowned designers and artists. In San Marco, inside one of the oldest pharmacies in Venice, dating back to the early 18th century, a series of compelling glass sculptures are set against a backdrop of wooden panelling and ancient glass jars. The scale of the exhibition eloquently portrays the infinite ways in which this material can be used through the eyes of the most talented creatives of our time.

GLASS to GLASS presents newly commissioned pieces such as a series of transparent glass tables by John Pawson, imbued with his quintessential minimalism, alongside ‘Dune’ by Zaven, a suspended lamp inspired by the desert landscape: soft, fluid, and in constant movement. WonderGlass also presents a new edition of ‘Melt Chaise Longue’ by nendo (now in a fresh green hue), a dramatic hanging installation by Nao Tamura and a series of other elegant and minimal designs. Most of the pieces presented by Berengo Studio have been created especially for this exhibition such as the intricately ornate ‘Guirlande’ by Sam Baron, ‘Making Up’, a series of molten glass antique mirrors by Maarten Baas, and the thought-provoking re-interpretation of a classical Venetian chandelier by Andrea Anastasio titled ‘9 to 5’ to name a few.

“The pieces presented explore a blend of different glass manufacturing techniques. What makes the show unique is that it tells a story about glass in its infinite possibilities, while also showcasing the razor-sharp knowledge of our master glassmakers and the expressiveness of our creatives.” Maurizio Mussati, WonderGlass

The Venice Glass Week will run at the same time as Milan Design Week allowing visitors to enjoy the privilege of experiencing two key international design events in the same week, after a year when cultural happenings have been cancelled and postponed.

Complete List of ArtistsAndrea Anastasio atelier oï Atelier Van Lieshout Bethan Laura Wood Christine Kelle Dan Yeffet Edgardo Osorio Gwenael Nicolas (Curiosity) Hideki Yoshimoto India Mahdavi John Pawson Joost van Bleiswijk Kiki van Eijk Kim Colin and Sam Hecht (Industrial Facility) Krista Kim Maarten Baas Marco Zito Maria Grazia Rosin Maria Thereza Alves and Jimmie Durham for LABINAC Nao Tamura nendo Paul McCarthy Raw Edges Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec Sam Baron Sebastian Brajkovic studiopluz Tom Dixon Zaven Zaha Hadid