VENINI, historic icon of Murano glassmaking excellence, participates in the tenth edition of Downtown Design Dubai, held from November 6 to 9, 2024. At this increasingly prestigious event on the international design calendar, the company will showcase the legendary Velario, newly illuminated and reimagined under the"The Heart Beats" concept.
The artwork was created in 1951as an elegant, dropped ceiling suspended beneath the skylight of Palazzo Grassi in Venice, a space designed to support the initiatives of the International Center for Arts and Costume promoted by Franco Marinotti, while making the courtyard fully usable. For the Downtown Design Dubai event, the Velarium has been recreated for the second time since its removal from Palazzo Grassi in 1985, nearly forty years ago.
The installation consists of a series of festoons made from crystal glass spheres in three different sizes, crafted using the Balloton technique and strung on steel cables. The festoons, secured to a rectangular metal plate, form four semi-transparent, curved surfaces reminiscent of a floating veil. A delicate play of shapes transforms the space into a luminous hall with crowned by a ceiling of sparkling globes. The spheres, with a combined weight of 1000 kg, are distinguished by a unique cross-relief optical effect achieved through a special blown-glass technique.
"The Heart Beats" concept highlights the intense creative energy that has driven the VENINI glassworks since its founding. The stand is conceived as a theatre, showcasing the Velarium in all its grandeur, enhanced by dramatic lighting that evokes the rhythm of a heartbeat. The lights turn on and off at varying tempos, representing the vital pulse that flows through and energizes every one of the company's creations.
Participating in Downtown Design Dubai marks a further step in VENINI's strategy to expand and consolidate its presence in the Arab market, advancing its ongoing mission to bring the Murano glass heritage to the whole world.
VENINI'S MODULAR LIGHTING COLLECTIONS
The Velario exemplifies VENINI's skill in using the repetition of shapes to create harmonious and evocative compositions. The Modular collections area a prime example, combining craftsmanship and contemporary design in versatile and made-to-measure solutions. Available in standard configurations—such as ceiling lamps and wall lights—these elements are ideal for custom projects, seamlessly fitting in with the most exclusive settings. A single module is repeated and multiplied within a space to create lighting installations of potentially infinite variety.
Each collection tells a unique story, captivating with its original and elegant designs. In addition, to the Sfere, the hand-finished blown glass elements that make up the Velarium's floating surfaces, VENINI has developed numerous other modular forms: Espirit, inspired by the shapes of flowers and stars; Nastri, characterized by flat modules with lightly carved grooves; Piastre, showcasing fine craftsmanship using smooth or irregular surfaces; and Poliedri, presented for the first time at the1958 Brussels Expo. Furthermore, the collections include the Astevertical elements with the Trilobi and Triedri shapes, and lastly, the Tubiand Canne series.
These modular collections represent the union of artists', architects' and designers' creative vision and the remarkable expertise of VENINI's glassmakers, together crafting light installations capable of transforming any interior design project.
More information:
Venini
[email protected]
www.venini.com
Italy