Luca Guadagnino conjures crystalline theatre for Lobmeyr

The Viennese crystal house Lobmeyr has long attracted the most discerning creative minds, and none more so than Luca Guadagnino, whose collaborative vision has now manifested in a third extraordinary installation for Matter and Shape. Working alongside architect Andrea Bonatti, Guadagnino has imagined a rich, decorative universe that speaks to the essence of both artisanal mastery and contemporary sensibility, a space where light fractures through crystal into something approaching the poetic.

The installation presents a new cut glass mirror conceived expressly for the Viennese house, its surfaces wrought with the precision and elegance that has defined Lobmeyr’s reputation across centuries. Alongside this singular creation, Guadagnino has curated a resplendent assembly drawn from the crystal house’s archive, each piece selected with the meticulous eye of someone attuned to narrative, form and the delicate choreography of space.

The ensemble is further enriched by parchment furniture by Guglielmo Ulrich, drawn from Guadagnino’s own personal collection, pieces that speak to a broader philosophy of beauty and restraint. Upholstered in Dedal Milano’s exquisite moiré, these furnishings introduce a sumptuous tactile dimension, their surface playing with light in conversation with the crystalline geometry surrounding them. The interplay between reflective surfaces and soft textural elements creates a sensory dialogue that elevates the installation beyond mere presentation into something approaching immersive theatre.

This collaboration between filmmaker and crystal house speaks to a shared understanding of beauty as something that transcends function. Guadagnino’s work has consistently demonstrated an almost architectural sensitivity to space, colour and the emotional resonance of form, qualities that find their perfect counterpoint in Lobmeyr’s commitment to timeless refinement and technical virtuosity.

Matter and Shape itself represents a distinctly ambitious curatorial endeavour, bringing together multidisciplinary practitioners to explore the intersection of materiality, craft and contemporary vision. The 2027 edition promises to continue this distinguished trajectory, with applications now open for those designers and creatives whose work might similarly illuminate the possibilities of luxury, heritage and innovation in concert.

The installation unfolds within the broader context of Matter and Shape’s Paris iteration, where interior design, sculpture, textile arts and the decorative traditions converge to create something approaching a contemporary salon, a gathering place for those who understand luxury not as ostentation but as the pursuit of absolute refinement.

Imagery courtesy of Lobmeyr (@lobmeyr).