In a competition featuring over 1,100 projects presented at
Milan Design Week, the expert jury selected the 16 most outstanding ones, after which the design community cast their votes. The Czech glassmaking design house, Lasvit, managed to outshine leaders in the world of art, design, and technology, including installations by artist JR, Google, Zegna, Kia, and Amazon.
The centerpiece of Lasvit's exhibition, Re/Creation, situated at the historic Palazzo Isimbardi, was "Porta," a monumental installation by the brand's Art Director Maxim Velčovský. The piece features 10 monumental fused glass sculptures (the largest measuring nearly 5 meters) that showcase hand craftsmanship on an industrial scale. The pieces feature hand-made reliefs and serve as a glass canvas suitable for structural elements in architecture.
The exhibition also presented a new lighting design concept, Bois de Cristal, by Mária Čulenová, a new collection entitled Nebula by Claesson Koivisto Rune, and a limited edition of Neverending Glory by Jan Plecháč and Henry Wielgus. The architecture of the show was done by Cirque Menu studio from Prague.
Maxim Velcovsky comments on the Award: "I am honored to receive this award, especially in these challenging times. Being here in Milan and experiencing the warmth of personal interactions is refreshing. In an era dominated by artificial intelligence and the expanse of the internet, I am happy the designer community appreciated the craftsmanship and innovative technology we've showcased."
Leon Jakimič, founder of Lasvit is equally thrilled about the win: Best exhibition in Milan for 2024. Out of thousands of amazing exhibitions across the whole city, where every palace, gallery, museum, and showroom becomes a curated exhibition. Our Art Director Maxim Velčovský curated ours. This is a great day for Czech design and craftsmanship. I would compare it to Kolya winning an Oscar for best foreign movie in 1996. Except we won this an overall best price, not just for “outside of Italy.”
