This year, the brand's seasonal celebration of craft spotlights artisans in and around Venice
For the fourth consecutive year, Bottega Veneta presents Bottega for Bottegas, a seasonal showcase of artisanal craft. In a tribute to the house's Venetian roots, this year's selection features six small-scale artisans, each based in or around Venice.
Throughout December, Bottega Veneta's website, advertising spaces, newsletters, and store windows will be given over to brass objects by Fonderia Artistica Valese; a wooden puzzle by Signor Blum; a set of playing cards in a leather case by Modiano; and glass creations by Laguna~B, Bruno Amadi and Wave Murano Glass. All are based in Venice except for Modiano, which is based in nearby Trieste.
Several of the featured designs also speak to Venetian history and culture — a history and culture that has shaped Bottega Veneta down to its name: Bottega Veneta means "Venetian artisanal workshop".
Signor Blum's wooden block puzzle features typical Venetian architecture. Modiano's playing cards consist of the Trevigiane card deck, also known as Venetian or Veneto deck, and widely popular in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia regions for games of Scopa and Briscola. In meticulously crafted brass objects using the sand-casting method, Fonderia Artistica Valese represents the winged lion that has been a symbol of Venice since the 12th century, and the intricate fero at the prow of a gondola that itself symbolizes the city's three islands, six sestieri, and Rialto bridge.
As well as their Venetian connections, the featured artisans all share Bottega Veneta's commitment to innovative craft, combining rich regional and artisanal heritage with new techniques and imaginative expressions. Special attention is given to innovators in Murano glass, with each of the three featured glass ateliers combining the centuries-old tradition of Murano glassmaking with bold new patterns, shapes, and methods — from a vibrantly striped vase by Laguna~B to a starfish by Bruno Amadi crafted from colored glass rods.
Launched in 2021, "Bottega for Bottegas" began as a means of supporting small-scale artisans who had been particularly affected by the pandemic. It has continued every festive season since as an expression of Bottega Veneta's commitment to, and celebration of, craft.
In its first iteration, the project featured bottegas from across Italy. In its second, the initiative featured bottegas from around the world who drew inspiration from Italian culture. Last year, four selected bottegas represented innovative takes on traditional craft from Italy, Taiwan, China, and South Korea.
For exhibition information and digital content, visit bottegaveneta.com/bottegas2024.
