Czech Glass, Quo Vadis?! wins big at The Venice Glass Week

On the 10th of September, 2021, Palazzo Franchetti, home to the Venetian Institute of Sciences, Letters and Arts, the ceremony for the award of three important prizes was held as part of the fifth edition of The Venice Glass Week, the international festival dedicated to the art of glassmaking: the Glass in Venice Prize, the Fondazione di Venezia Prize for The Venice Glass Week (first edition) and Autonoma Residency Prize (second edition).

The ceremony, moderated by the Venetian architect and author Francesco da Mosto, opened with the official conferment of the prestigious Glass in Venice Prize, organized by the Venetian Institute of Sciences, Letters and Arts and by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia and awarded to artists and master glassmakers whose work has stood out in particular, following the tradition of Murano or through different schools and techniques worldwide. The prize-winners of the ninth edition are the artists Federica Marangoni, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award, and Mauro Bonaventura; the works of both can be seen in the magnificent setting of the entrance hall of Palazzo Loredan, among the marble effigies of the Venetian Pantheon comprising the busts of famous people who were born or lived in Venice.

The first edition of the Fondazione di Venezia Prize, consisting of a cash prize of 1,000.00 euro, was awarded to the exhibition Czech Glass, Quo Vadis?! organized at the GAD - Giudecca Art District. Curated by Mária Gálová, the exhibition is open to the public until 3 October 2021 and presents the creations of ten Czech artists - Jaroslav Róna, Vladimira Klumpar, Zdeněk Lhotský, Martin Janecký, Petr Stanický, Klára Horáčková, Luba Bakičová, Michal Macků, Michaela Spružinová and Tomáš Krejčí – each with a different approach to glass. The award motivations include the originality of the project, presented as part of the festival The Venice Glass Week, which admirably represents the contemporary Czech glassmaking world, with its profoundly scientific character.

The Fondazione di Venezia Prize for The Venice Glass Week was strongly desired by the Organization Committee of the festival to reward the commitment of the participants and stimulate an even more significant involvement. The Prize is sponsored by Fondazione di Venezia, one of the main sponsors of the Festival. The winner was selected at the sole discretion of the Jury from among all the projects submitted and eligible to participate in the fifth edition of The Venice Glass Week entitled #VivaVetro!