Dale Chihuly Unveils Three Glass Towers Along Venice's Grand Canal

Dale Chihuly is set to return to Venice with 'Chihuly: Venice 2026', an exhibition that will showcase three large-scale glass sculptures along the Grand Canal. This event celebrates the 30th anniversary of his iconic 1996 installation, 'Chihuly Over Venice', which featured 14 chandeliers hanging above canals and courtyards. The new sculptures are described as vibrant and serpentine, including one with tendrils in red, orange, and blue, another adorned with golden threads reaching upwards, and a cooler-toned piece reflecting Venice's waterways. Additionally, the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti will host a display of drawings, photographs, videos, and archival materials documenting Chihuly's career and the earlier project. Chihuly's ties to Venice began in 1968 when he received a Fulbright Fellowship at the Venini glass factory on Murano, immersing himself in the island's 13th-century glassblowing heritage. He later co-founded the Pilchuck Glass School near Seattle in 1971, inviting Italian artists to teach. Curated by Suzanne Geiss, the exhibition is scheduled from May 5 to November 14, 2026. Leslie Jackson Chihuly, the artist's wife and president and CEO of Chihuly Studio, remarked, "For us, coming back to Venice is just necessary. It's our home."