2024 was an important year for our lead artist, Katia Margolis, who has dramatically expanded her cycle of work on canvas and paper, as well as breaking new ground in textiles, dress design, lighting and glass. Her hand-painted silk dresses and scarves were a huge hit over the summer, as were her exquisite watercolours on hand-made paper. Her Birth of Venice series of etchings was triumphantly translated into glass sculpture in collaboration with Oscar Zanetti of Murano. She has also designed a series of traditional Venetian drinking glasses which have been made in collaboration with Diego Vio, also of Murano. The predominant theme of these recent works is Katia's signature blue/green colours palette, echoing the distinctive hues of Venice's sea, sky, lagoon and canals.
Vert de Venise director Robin Saikia comments on the development of this popular theme: "Just over two years ago we showed a selection of Katia's work at the Magazzino Gallery in Palazzo Contarini Polignac. There were several large-scale works in the blue/green palette, all of which were warmly received. What struck me most was how positively the Venetians themselves responded to this portrayal of their city. Over a dozen Venetian friends, colleagues and collectors told me how much they loved Katia's evident connection with this most complex of cities, the way in which she had truly captured its spirit. Over the course of the last two years this theme has developed in a great many different directions, all of them very exciting. The final frontier for us was glass, and we were lucky to have known two master collaborators in Murano, Oscar Zanetti and Diego Vio. It has been a great year for us and for the project, culminating in the opening of the Vert de Venise gallery last April."