Venice Glass Week 2019: Interviews with Lucia Massari, Laura de Santillana, Lara Lütke

The 2019 edition of The Venice Glass Week, held concurrently with the Nomad design fair, featured exhibitions and interviews with three designers: Lucia Massari, Laura de Santillana, and Lara Lütke. Massari presented her STRATA series at Galleria Swing in Palazzo Franchetti, using kiln-formed glass in a collage-like technique inspired by her 2D illustration background. She collaborated with a Murano artisan, emphasizing the material's unpredictability. Her work also appeared in the group show "Materia Eterea" at Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa, alongside Bethan Laura Wood and Martino Gamper, where she explored mirror traditions. Laura de Santillana exhibited "Soffi" with Franco Mazzucchelli at Studio Santillana, curated by Sabino Maria Frassà, highlighting the common theme of breath giving form to matter. De Santillana discussed her shift from design to art, focusing on blown glass and concepts of absence and emptiness. She announced a forthcoming solo show at Gaggenau DesignElementi Hub in Milan, featuring photographic works and pieces from the Tacoma Museum of Glass, inspired by Indian mythology. Lara Lütke presented "Imperfections" at Palazzo Franchetti, critiquing mass production perfectionism. Trained at Bauhaus University Weimar, she learned glassblowing in Israel and cited Murano master Lino Tagliapietra as an influence. The festival aimed to revitalize Murano's glass tradition, attracting international designers and collectors.