Moulaye Niang

Collection Muranero

Lampworker

Susanna Pozzoli©Michelangelo Foundation

©AliceBusato

Susanna Pozzoli©Michelangelo Foundation

Beads of hope for the future

Moulaye encountered Venice at the age of 15 and fell in love with the city
He abandoned the hustle and bustle of Paris for the calm of the lagoon
He firmly believes that the art of lampworking will save the history of Murano glass

In 2004, after completing his studies at the Murano Glass School, Moulaye Niang immediately launched his business and became known as the Muranero. Each of his lamp glass creations is a fusion of his African roots, a European background and the atmosphere of Venice. Moulaye makes jewellery pieces and accessories but also chandeliers, all of which are unique in style and design. The measure of everything is the bead, which holds centre stage and brings unlikely shapes and colours together. In Venice he finds a playing field for lampworking, a form of craftsmanship with close-knit ties to a glassmaking tradition spanning a thousand years. And this is the reason why Moulaye devotes so much energy to passing on the knowledge acquired from his teachers, Pino Signoretto and Davide Salvadore. He also teaches his craft in Senegal, in projects dedicated to teaching a profession to orphaned children.

Where

Interview

Susanna Pozzoli©Michelangelo Foundation

Susanna Pozzoli©Michelangelo Foundation

What is it that fascinates you most about glass?: I love it because it is a solid and liquid material, fine sand that becomes colour and shape. It is the fusion of natural elements: fire, sand and water that come together. Creating a glass bead is like making magic. It involves all the senses, and still excites me as much as it did the first time.
What is your approach to the secrets of your craft?: I like to share information, to help keep glass craftsmanship alive, so it does not die out. Many people, some of whom are actual Venetians, have come to learn the craft from me. The city has given me a great deal, and I want to give something back.
Was it difficult to be accepted by the Venetians?: No one should wait for others to accept them. I had already decided I wanted to use glass to express myself: the quality of my work spoke for me. I was well aware that I had a different cultural background, and that it was something that might well prove a valuable asset. In showcasing my own culture, I found my place here.
Where do you find inspiration?: First of all in light: in the sky, in water, on surfaces. Then there is Africa, which is very present and bursting with colour. My artistic universe is driven by instinct, by rhythm, by the archetypes I carry within me and by my daily life in Venice.

Moulaye Niang is a master artisan: he began his career in 2004 and he started teaching in 2006