Transmitting a passion for Murano glass
- Alessia says she learns a new lesson about glass and about herself every day
- She has a profound relationship with Venice and its islands
- Her experimentation revolves around the use of colour
Alessia Fuga took a course in lampworking at the Abate Zanetti School in Murano: her first attempt at glasswork with a flame enraptured her, revealing a true passion and unexpected talent. Following a chance encounter with a young master glassmaker, she decided to turn her love of glass into a profession. In 2007, Alessia opened her workshop where she creates unique pieces and distinctive limited-edition items crafted with meticulous attention to detail. She has participated in group and solo exhibitions, both in private galleries and at the Murano Glass Museum, and both local and international recognition has not been slow in coming. Today, she combines production with teaching, and a commitment to promoting scholarships dedicated to the art of Venetian glass beads.
Interview
- How does one go about crafting something well made?
- By never settling for the result you achieve. There are so many different possibilities for working with hot glass that you never stop learning and improving. There is no lying with glass. If there are technical shortcomings, it relentlessly shows them to us, and all we can do is learn to listen with a humble approach.
- What stumbling blocks have you encountered?
- I have never seen the untold hours of practising lampworking to develop my technical skills as a burden. I have always regarded those sacrifices as a form of homage to the art itself.
- Do you feel you are part of a community?
- Yes, part of a local community and family that is spread all over the world. Glass has the power to create a common language and bring together people who use different languages. In centuries past, glass beads made from lampwork or with a hollow metal rod were by far the most frequently created and traded item, across the most far-flung corners of the globe.
- Why did you choose Murano?
- It is the cradle of an intangible culture you feel in every place and every person you encounter. Measuring myself against its history and expert craftspeople has been a driving force in helping me find my own voice in the island’s production landscape, while respecting glass as a material in its own right.
Alessia Fuga is a master artisan: she began her career in 2006 and she started teaching in 2012
Where
Alessia Fuga
