The new collections and re-editions of historic projects designed by Gio Ponti celebrate Venini’s rich heritage.
Art and technique, color and rigor, creativity and craftsmanship are the precious ingredients of a centuries-old recipe that, every day, the master glassmakers of VENINI shake up to create timeless works with an innovative design.
Within the Murano furnace’s alchemy, molten glass is transformed into tangible objects, capturing all the enchantment of a tradition steeped in gestures and secret recipes. Over its century-long journey since inception, this heritage has remained ever dynamic, enriched by encounters with some of the most esteemed artists and designers on the international scene, whose creative vision VENINI has translated into timeless works of art.
A steadfast principle that has long defined the company is celebrated through the concept of “The Heart Beats”. This concept pays homage to the vibrant and pulsating creativity that has animated the furnace since its inception, fostering collaboration with renowned designers, the likes of Carlo Scarpa, Gio Ponti and Fulvio Bianconi since the early decades of the 20th century.
These partnerships are honored through projects that revisit, pay homage to, and draw inspiration from the work of these designers. These initiatives exemplify the DAMIANI Group’s commitment to enriching its corporate heritage and VENINI’s artistic trajectory, illustrating how the present is shaped by the interplay of memory and awareness of our surroundings.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of Damiano’s activity, exemplifying the core values synonymous with ‘Made in Italy’: excellence of craftsmanship, beauty, and technological know-how. On this auspicious occasion, we wish to accentuate the distinct value of VENINI’s artistic heritage. It is a brand that has always stood out, then as now, for its ability to entrust artists and designers with the interpretation of the glass medium.
These new collections, comprising re-editions and unpublished works thus aim to pay homage to those who conceived them, as well as to the mastery of those who shaped them, a magical combination that, together with the company’s great passion, has made possible the creation of masterpieces still appreciated worldwide. Silvia Damiani, Vice-President of the Gruppo DAMIANI and President of VENINI.
Continuing the narrative of historical collaborations, the company forges new partnerships with contemporary creatives, including renowned architect Peter Marino. Known for his visionary approach that transcends convention, Marino has crafted a series of distinctive works with striking visual impact over the years.
The Art Glass Collection and the Art Light Collection celebrate the dual essence of VENINI, as well as signify an ongoing exploration of beauty through design. This exploration of VENINI’s art glass and its innovative DNA is profoundly sensorial. Silvia Damiani, Vice-President of the Gruppo DAMIANI and President of VENINI
Continuing the narrative of historical collaborations, the company forges new partnerships with contemporary creatives, including renowned architect Peter Marino. Known for his visionary approach that transcends convention, Marino has crafted a series of distinctive works with striking visual impact over the years.
The visually striking reproduction of the monumental “Poliedri” cascade chandelier designed by Carlo Scarpa for the “Italia ‘61” international exposition held in 1961, is an architecture of light composed of various modular elements in blown glass that make it possible to create lighting fixtures of infinitely variable shapes and sizes, demonstrating the company’s talent for proposing custom-made solutions for both residential and contract settings.
The new collection of previously unproduced works and reissues works by Gio Ponti
Among the most significant collaborations in VENINI’s history, the partnership with Architect Ponti has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the brand’s journey. Wishing to pay tribute to this creative partnership, VENINI has chosen to unveil a collection of reissues and previously unreleased works, designed by the architect since the late 1940s. This includes sets of glasses and bottles adorned with “pezze”, pieces of colored glass, a vase, carafe, and glasses with colored canes, bottles featuring feminine silhouettes in two-tone glass, and a collection of chandeliers and stained-glass windows reissued from Ponti’s original designs.
Among other product innovations are the Clessidre Sommerse, expanding the collection created by Fulvio Bianconi and Paolo Venini in 1957. A series of timeless jewels that narrate the relentless passage of time and show the master glassmakers’ skill in combining very complex manufacturing techniques.
The Art Glass Collection is also expanded by the new Pesca Capsule Collection that revamps the iconic Fazzoletto, Deco, Monofiore Balloton, Balloton Fiori, and Opalino vases, as well as the Ritagli, Honeycomb Battuto, Acco, Idalion, and Sidone designer vases, with pink and orange highlights. A captivating color evoking sensations of calm serenity, sweetness and harmony and speaks of the brand’s ability to interpret the latest trends in the interior design world creatively and emotionally.
Not to be overlooked are the new lighting proposals: the Fantasmino XL, Gran Balloton Luce, and Gran Deco Luce lamps, which recall the design of iconic VENINI vases, harmoniously complete the various rooms of the house. Fitted with dimmable led technology offering three degrees of intensity, they create the perfect atmosphere for every occasion.
Lastly, Peter Marino, the maestro of modern luxury, emerges, his unmistakable touch extending the Black Belt Collection with glasses of captivating aesthetics, and introducing an elegant, limited edition to the Cilindro series.
BOUTIQUE VENINI – Via Montenapoleone 10
In the heart of Milan’s Quadrilatero Boutique VENINI stands out as a symbolic location for art glass. A two-story exhibition space for iconic works and new collections and a meeting place for developing custom-made projects for the Contract and Residential sectors.
A place where you can immerse yourself in the VENINI glass culture and discover the unique artistic heritage that has allowed it to create, over the years, instantly recognizable works capable of seamlessly blending a profound knowledge of tradition with the charm of contemporary aesthetics.
For the design week, the Boutique unveils a fresh arrangement crafted to highlight the 2024 innovations, featuring everything from the Gio Ponti collection to the Clessidre Sommerse and the new Pesca Collection.
The new products conceived by Peter Marino, alongside select recent collections crafted by contemporary designers, exemplify VENINI’s gift for extending its savoir-faire to international creatives who skilfully reinterpret it through their own stylistic lenses.
VENINI: a story, an artistic excellence, a typically Italian passion
Founded in 1921 by Paolo Venini, a Milanese lawyer, and Giacomo Cappellin, a Venetian antiques dealer, Venini S.p.A., then Cappellin, Venini & C., would become a benchmark in the world of artistic glass, laying the foundations of that stylistic identity that still distinguishes it today.
Over the years, Venini has entered into significant joint projects with artists such as Napoleone Martinuzzi, Carlo Scarpa, and Vittorio Zecchin, and, after the war, with Gio Ponti and Mimmo Rotella, not to mention the contributions of contemporary designers and architects the likes of Peter Marino, Tadao Ando, Gae Aulenti, Massimiliano Fuksas, Ettore Sottsass, Alessandro Mendini, Gaetano Pesce, Emmanuel Babled, Francesco Lucchese, Monica Guggisberg, Philip Baldwin, and Ron Arad.
The forms and style of the original artistic production are thus continuously refreshed. With its iconic projects and new creations, the glassworks presents its works in two collections: Art Glass brings together a series of extraordinary sculptural vases and objects for interior decoration, Art Light features chandeliers and important lighting installations for large public or private spaces.
Creations bearing the Venini signature have become part of the permanent collections of museums of such calibre as the Metropolitan Museum and MoMA in New York, the Fondation Cartier in Paris, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Venini’s own museum contains 45,000 drawings, 10,000 vintage photos and 4,000 works of art, making it the most precious historical archive of modern and contemporary glass art in the world.
Since 2016, the Damiani family, owners of the homonymous international luxury jewellery brand, has been the company’s majority shareholder, promoting the development of one of Italy’s most authentically excellent brands.