Starhotels has named Paolo Mangano’s Dark Sun and Me as the winning creation of the fourth La Grande Bellezza Award, celebrating Italian craftsmanship within contemporary hospitality.
The Rome-based goldsmith and sculptor received the honour for a circular smoked wall mirror combining design, utility, reclaimed materials and skilled metalwork.
Mangano’s winning project will receive a €10,000 award, supporting the continued development of his creative practice. The work is also on public display alongside nine other finalists at Hotel Gabrielli Venezia – Starhotels Collezione.
The free exhibition opened on September 1 and continues until October 16, 2026. Its location on Venice’s Riva degli Schiavoni brings the award into a hospitality environment where travellers can encounter Italian craft beyond conventional galleries and museums.
The showcase also contributes to the cultural programme surrounding Homo Faber 2026 and The Venice Glass Week.
Beauty of Utility shapes fourth edition
The latest award focused on “The Beauty of Utility,” challenging artisans and designers to create objects that combine practical purpose with artistic expression.
Participants explored traditional Italian materials and techniques while interpreting them for contemporary hotels and other hospitality spaces.
This focus reflects the evolving relationship between accommodation and design. Premium hotels increasingly use furniture, lighting, glass and decorative objects to express local identity and create memorable guest experiences.
La Grande Bellezza is a biennial initiative within The Dream Factory, Starhotels’ contemporary patronage programme launched in 2019. The project is developed with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and Gruppo Editoriale.
Through the programme, Starhotels aims to protect Italian craft knowledge while connecting artisans with modern hospitality and international audiences.
Dark Sun and Me transforms reclaimed materials
A jury led by Starhotels President and Chief Executive Officer Elisabetta Fabri selected Dark Sun and Me for its combination of contemporary design, sustainability and artisanal expertise.
The smoked circular mirror uses an iron and brass structure. Abstract rays extend outward from its frame, giving the composition the appearance of a dark sun.
Mangano crafted these elements from copper and brass waste generated through electroplating production. He shaped them by hand before applying polished and burnished finishes.
Malachite and rough crystals appear between the metal elements, introducing colour and creating a symbolic dialogue between underground materials and solar energy.
The mirror places the viewer’s reflection at the centre of the composition. As a result, it functions as both a practical hospitality object and an interactive artistic experience.
Fabri said the work transforms materials and gestures rooted in traditional craftsmanship into an object that feels profoundly contemporary.
She highlighted Mangano’s ability to bring goldsmithing and sculpture into a new dimension. Reclaimed materials gain renewed beauty, while the mirror becomes an experience and a story rather than only a functional object.
Paolo Mangano brings decades of experience
Mangano has explored materials and artistic production since 1985. From his workshop in central Rome, he creates jewellery, silverware, sculpture and metal art.
His practice combines traditional metals with less conventional elements, allowing him to investigate texture, form and material transformation.
Throughout his career, Mangano has collaborated with Italian and international artists, galleries and brands. He has also shared his knowledge as a lecturer at IED University.
His achievements include the MAM – Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere recognition, which honours leading contributors to Italian artistic craftsmanship.
Dark Sun and Me extends that career-long interest in material experimentation. Its use of industrial waste also demonstrates how sustainability can become part of luxury design without weakening refinement or visual impact.
Finalists connect heritage with innovation
The ten finalist works span lighting, furniture, tableware, glass and decorative installations.
Incalmi’s Allegretto combines enamelled copper with reclaimed wool, giving the adaptable wall installation sound-absorbing qualities. Fabio Fornasier’s Decanter uses transparent Murano crystal to enhance the visual ritual of serving wine.
Atelier Impressive’s Make Make lamp brings together travertine and a glowing onyx sphere. Meanwhile, F.lli Levaggi’s Mario transforms the visual language of the Chiavari chair into a functional wooden valet stand.
The OCIO Lamp by MNM Venezia incorporates more than 1,300 glass-paste tesserae from the historic Orsoni furnace. Its radial design draws inspiration from the human iris.
Other finalist projects include Salicornia by Salviati, Seduta sopra i pini by Taftique and Space Carnival by Sveva Collection.
WonderGlass presents Venetia, a modular cast-glass partition inspired by the Venetian lagoon. Franco Blumer Restauri contributes Teiera Scoglio Tafoni, a sterling silver teapot shaped by hand from one metal sheet.
Together, the finalists demonstrate how traditional knowledge can respond to modern hospitality, sustainability and changing spatial needs.
Hotel Gabrielli becomes a cultural destination
The exhibition places contemporary craft in conversation with Hotel Gabrielli Venezia’s remarkable glass collection.
The hotel contains around 700 nineteenth-century Murano glass chandeliers and wall sconces, including restored works linked to historic Venetian glassmaking traditions.
Visitors can explore the exhibition free of charge between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., without a reservation, until October 16.
This accessibility strengthens Venice’s cultural tourism offering during a busy period for design and craft events. It also positions the hotel as more than accommodation.
By bringing artisanship directly into a visitor setting, Starhotels connects hospitality with heritage, sustainability and creative tourism. Dark Sun and Me captures that ambition by turning reclaimed metal into an object designed to be used, experienced and remembered.
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