A Pure Crystal Donation: A Giogali Curtain Enhances the Glass Room of the Die Neue Sammlung Museum in Munich, Thanks to the Generosity of One of the World’s Most Important Collectors**
Mr. Holz is renowned for his collection of vintage Murano glass from the last century. In addition to writing numerous books on Murano glassworks with Marc Heiremans, one of the leading international experts, he has organized exhibitions in museums across Europe, including Die Neue Sammlung in Munich, the Grassi Museum in Leipzig, the Museum Kunstpalast in Düsseldorf, the Murano Glass Museum, as well as institutions in Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal.
Die Neue Sammlung is one of the world’s most influential design museums. Founded in 1907, it was the first design museum in the world and boasts the largest collection of design objects. Among these, in the room dedicated to glass, there is a permanent exhibition that now includes a splendid Giogali curtain of hooks, donated by the collector Mr. Lutz Holz. Many of the exhibited objects come from loans and donations, including those from the Alexander Tutsek Foundation, Gustav van Treeck, Laboratories for Mosaics and Stained Glass, Thierry Boissel, and Lutz Holz himself. The common thread that links the exhibited objects is represented by the multiple shades of glass color and the brilliance of the various crafting techniques, which bear witness to a centuries-old legacy of the most prestigious master glassmakers.
The exhibition, curated by Angelika Nollert, Xenia Riemann-Tyroller, and Josef Straßer, highlights how glass is present in daily life in many forms. From a material composition standpoint, glass is a highly technical material that requires deep knowledge in its production and refinement: it is blown, pressed, cast in a mold, freely worked in front of the furnace, painted, etched, and engraved. The specially designed room brings together a selection of highlights: mass-produced hollow glass for everyday use, unique and handcrafted objects, as well as artistic and architectural designs. The presentation not only showcases the charm of colored and colorless glass but also reflects the technical art, versatile design language, and diverse functional needs that glass perfectly fulfills.
Design, craftsmanship, and free art intertwine in a special way through the spatial concept of the Munich-based design studio OHA, reflecting the interdisciplinary and international orientation of the institution.
We invite you to visit the exhibition at Barer Straße 40, 80333 Munich, with the following opening hours: daily from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, except on Thursdays when closing is at 8:00 PM. Closed on Mondays.