Forms of Alchemy – Glass Objects by Massimo Micheluzzi

Massimo Micheluzzi was born in Venice, where he currently lives and works, and has built an international reputation for is glass objects. His work is featured in private collections of museums from around the world, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The Corning Museum of Glass, and the acclaimed Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, to only name a few.

Following in the tradition of ancient Murano glass-blowing techniques, Micheluzzi works alongside a master glass blower, intervening in each step of the process. Since the late 90’s Micheluzzi’s work has evolved as he continues to explore the materiality of glass and its ever changing forms. His work shifts between organic and more classical shapes, iridescent transparencies, carved surfaces and elaborate colour combinations. “Glass is a complex and surprising material. There’s a form of alchemy involved in working with this material and countless secrets to be discovered” recalls Micheluzzi.

Micheluzzi’s glass creations are deeply embedded in the history of Venice and inspired by the city itself – its canals and the elaborate renaissance architecture that serves as their setting. Micheluzzi’s “intarsio” works, for example, are directly inspired by the classic mosaics and complex patterns of inlaid marble found throughout the city of Venice, most notably on the floors of churches and palazzos. There is a wonderful sense of malleability in the “intarsio” works as the multicoloured pieces of glass, that are made to resemble solid pieces of marble, seem to melt and create the soft contours of the vase.

Other pieces by Micheluzzi, on the other hand, take on even more organic and fluid formations. Their opacity reminds me of wisps of iridescent and nebulous smoke and their shapes like raindrops suspended in mid-air. Even these more abstract objects retain something from Micheluzzi’s home town, “my work recalls the atmosphere of Venice, the lagoon, the silvery waterways, and cloudy skies.”

massimomicheluzzi.it

BECOME A PART OF OUR DESIGN JOURNEY

Special discounts on OEN Shops curated collection

• Exclusive behind-the-scenes content
• Early access to content from our OEN publication
• Deep dive into design concepts
• Curated guides to the worlds top art and design cities