Wilmotte - Murano

Wilmotte's "Vessels" collection is a blend of nostalgia and modernity. Its 60 creations (chandeliers, table lamps, wall lamps, vases) are inspired by the designer's childhood memories of contemplating his father's pharmaceutical laboratory. Using the transparency and malleability of glass, each piece is delicate and refined, emphasising symmetry and balance - themes that Wilmotte is very fond of in his work. Alessandra Chemollo's photographs, shot exclusively in Venice, suggest a journey through the city, its craftsmen's workshops and its reflections. Architecture and craftsmanship are thus merged, in a quest for continuity and complementarity.

These objects bear witness to Jean-Michel Wilmotte’s great interest in glass. They also evoke the architect’s childhood memories of watching his father work in the family pharmacy as a child. Indeed, his father had decided to set up his office next to his own in order to keep an eye on him. He spent hours watching his father handle different bottles and vials as he carried out analyses and preparations. “I would spend hours fascinated by the test tubes and ampoules of different shapes, made of clear or dark glass so as not to let the light in. These Murano works are often kept in family collections and passed down from generation to generation.

Lovers of the art of glassmaking are well aware of the value of these unique pieces, which are the result of a long crafting process. Glass is an almost magical material, it embellishes and enriches our interior, it brings us back to the beauty of detail and the rediscovery of continuous change, reflects, modifies and changes what surrounds us.

Questo libro, pubblicato sulla scia della mostra "Aqua e fogo" (Milano, Italia, 2023), mette in risalto il lavoro del designer francese Jean-Michel Wilmotte in collaborazione con i soffiatori e gli artigiani del vetro di Murano.