Dale Chihuly returns to Venice with "Chihuly: Venice 2026," a public exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of his landmark 1996 project "Chihuly Over Venice." The new show features three large-scale glass sculptures installed along the Grand Canal, viewable from the Accademia Bridge, at Palazzo Franchetti, Palazzo Querini alla Carità, and Palazzo Balbi-Valier Sammartini. The article also recounts Chihuly's 1968 Fulbright-funded study at Venini, where he learned Murano glassblowing and embraced glass as his primary medium, and reveals that his son Jackson Chihuly was conceived in Venice after a party hosted by the late Paul Allen.
This story matters because it highlights Chihuly's enduring influence on the American studio glass movement and his deep personal and professional ties to Venice. His 1968 training at Venini and subsequent founding of the Pilchuck Glass School in 1971 transformed glass from a decorative craft into a medium for ambitious sculpture, educating generations of artists. The 2026 exhibition also underscores the logistical and cultural challenges of staging large-scale public art in a historic city, while the personal anecdote about his son adds a human dimension to the artist's legacy.