Thirty years after transforming the city and its canals with his groundbreaking Chihuly Over Venice project, Chihuly’s team returned to the source of his inspiration for this year’s Venice Biennale. Three dramatic new sculptures have been installed along the Grand Canal, celebrating the artist’s enduring dialogue with the city that fundamentally shaped his career. The new installations are accompanied by an interpretive and archival center housed at the Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti until November 14, 2026
“There is nothing that possibly compares with Venice. Its light, its history, and its breathtaking architecture have been a constant source of inspiration for me,” said Dale Chihuly.
The three monumental outdoor works are all visible from the Accademia Bridge, known for its panoramic views of the Grand Canal. The 30-foot-tall Gold Tower installed in the Palazzo Franchetti’s garden invites visitors to experience the intricate nature of the artwork and closely view the new forms created specifically for this Venetian presentation.
Archival materials and selected artworks at the Istituto Veneto support the outdoor installations in narrative, history and material practice. In this intimate setting, drawings, photographs, videos, and documentation chart the evolution of Chihuly’s process, the making of Chihuly Over Venice in 1996, and the artist’s lifelong engagement with experimentation, collaboration, and risk.
During 1995 and 1996, Chihuly and his Boathouse team traveled to glass factories in Ireland, Finland, Mexico, and Italy to experiment with new forms of glass art. In September 1996, they assembled 14 monumental chandeliers throughout Venice in a matter of days. They were suspended above bridges, towered in the city’s piazzas, and even floated on the canals. Although this amazing “happening” lasted only three weeks, the installations marked a defining and cherished moment in Chihuly’s career and made him a household name. The international project was a powerful tribute to glass art and was captured in a PBS documentary.
Chihuly spoke about the allure of Venice during his latest collaboration with The Rug Company to create more fabulous art for floors in 2024. Reminiscing about his artistic journey, he said, “I wanted to come here first and foremost because of the water and the architecture.” The Masterpieces II collection, with its evocative names and marine associations, River, Oyster, and Scallop, reflects Chihuly’s continued fascination with the watery essence of the Venetian lagoon. The architectural setting for this stunning collection in the heart of La Serenissima combines the ethos of both The Rug Company and Chihuly.
CHIHULY: Venice 2026, presented by Pilchuck Glass School and Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Photos © 2024 & 2025 Chihuly Studio. All rights reserved
Read more…
The Italian Connection
The Rug Company’s Masterpieces II Collection
Watch the video about Chihuly’s collaboration with the Rug Company in Venice
