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Baccarat Returns to Milan Design Week with Futuristic 'Crystal Crypt' by Emmanuelle Luciani

exhibition · 2026-04-24

Emmanuelle Luciani, a French artist, scenographer, and choreographer, has unveiled 'Crystal Crypt,' an immersive installation for Baccarat during Milan Design Week 2026. This exhibit, located in the deconsecrated 9th-century Chiesa di San Carpoforo, combines a physical installation, a choreographed ballet, and a film. Set in the year 5300, it envisions a future where Baccarat's crystal-making expertise has vanished, with performers mimicking glassblowing techniques. The installation showcases matte gray surfaces, a reconstituted stained-glass window, and a mirror-topped podium featuring iconic Baccarat items, including the Tzar waterglass, designed for Tzar Nicholas II, and Art Deco vessels. Additionally, British designer Bethan Laura Wood's modular Zénith chandelier is displayed as a spaceship. New editions of the Harcourt 1841 glass, originally created for Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, are also featured. This event signifies Baccarat's return to Milan Design Week after a four-year hiatus.

Key facts

  • Emmanuelle Luciani created 'Crystal Crypt' for Baccarat at Milan Design Week 2026.
  • The installation is staged at Chiesa di San Carpoforo, a deconsecrated 9th-century church.
  • The work includes a physical installation, a choreographed ballet, and a film.
  • The narrative imagines a future in 5300 where Baccarat's crystal-making skills are lost.
  • Performers reenact glassblowing gestures like cupping hands and twisting wrists.
  • The installation features matte gray surfaces, a reconstituted stained-glass window, and a mirror-topped podium.
  • Displayed pieces include the Tzar waterglass (for Tzar Nicholas II) and Art Deco vessels.
  • Bethan Laura Wood's Zénith chandelier is featured as a spaceship-like element.
  • New editions of the Harcourt 1841 glass (for Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie) are shown.
  • Baccarat returns to Milan Design Week after a four-year absence.

Entities

Artists

  • Emmanuelle Luciani
  • Bethan Laura Wood

Institutions

  • Baccarat
  • Milan Design Week
  • Chiesa di San Carpoforo
  • Eglise Saint Remy

Locations

  • Milan
  • Italy
  • Baccarat
  • France

Sources