Simon Berger's shattered glass portraits at Murano Glass Museum

Swiss artist Simon Berger (born 1976 in Herzogenbuchsee) presents 'Shattering Beauty', a site-specific exhibition at the Murano Glass Museum in Venice featuring around twenty new works. Berger, trained as a carpenter, uses a hammer to fracture safety glass—which contains a protective film—creating portraits that blur the lines between sculpture, engraving, drawing, and photography. The pressure of his hammer strikes produces cracks and incisions that model the material, generating different shades and shadows. The exhibition is co-curated by Sandrine Welte and museum director Chiara Squarcina, who emphasize the immersive installation's connection to Venice's historic glassmaking tradition. The show highlights the ongoing dialogue between contemporary art and Murano's centuries-old glass craftsmanship.