Venice Exhibition Highlights Collaboration Between Contemporary Artists and Murano Glassmasters

A new exhibition opening at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice showcases the story of the Fucina degli Angeli gallery, founded in the 1950s to bridge the worlds of contemporary art and traditional Murano glassmaking. Curated by art historian Cristina Beltrami, the exhibition runs from 14 November 2026 to 29 March 2027.

The gallery was established by a visionary figure who acted as an interpreter between more than 100 international artists and Murano’s master glassblowers. This approach differed from traditional glass furnaces like Venini, which often produced decorative glassware in large, commercially driven series despite involving international designers.

Three years after initiating his experiment, the founder opened the Fucina degli Angeli gallery to exhibit the collaborative works. The gallery played a pioneering role in Venice’s glass evolution until the 1970s, when competition from other glassmaking companies increased.

The exhibition features over 100 works, including glass pieces, paintings, and sculptures, alongside previously unexplored archival material from the Fucina. These are displayed across 11 rooms organised by artist and theme. Notable artists whose works were translated into glass include Max Ernst, Oskar Kokoschka, Lucio Fontana, and Paul Jenkins.

The show also highlights the behind-the-scenes support of Peggy Guggenheim, whose acquisitions helped sustain the gallery financially and whose connections enabled exhibitions across Europe and at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

The gallery’s name, “Fucina degli Angeli” (smithy of the angels), was suggested by French writer and artist Jean Cocteau, a close collaborator. Cocteau designed mythological heads for the gallery and engaged directly with the glassmakers. Austrian Expressionist Oskar Kokoschka contributed a sketch of two angels holding an anvil, dedicated to the gallery and its founder.

Both Cocteau and German sculptor Jean Arp, whose works also feature in the exhibition, were captivated by the vibrant colours and richness of Murano glass. The exhibition thus offers a unique insight into a creative dialogue that blended contemporary art with traditional craftsmanship.