News
Top Venetian glassmaker first artist to feature at Soneva Fushi’s new glass studio
Maldives.net.mv – Artist extraordinaire and master Venetian glassblower, Lino Tagliapietra, was the first artist to feature at the recently opened Glass Studio at Soneva Fushi last year from December 15-27.
Widely acknowledged as the best glass artist in the world, guests at the luxury resort got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch Maestro Tagliapietra create unique art pieces, learn the art of glass-blowing, and also purchase his fantastic creations.
Born on the Italian island of Murano, famed for its hand-blown artisanal glassware since the 13th century, Tagliapietra was apprenticed to master glassmaker Archimede Seguso at the age of 12, and by 21 had already earned the title of maestro himself. In 1979, he moved to the United States to teach at the Pilchuck Glass School in Seattle, which also marked the beginning of his international career and collaborations with other prominent glass artists.
His stunning work, celebrated for its complexity, elegance, and visual poetry has earned him numerous awards such as the Glass Art Society Lifetime Achievement Award, election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has been exhibited at top galleries around the world, including the Smithsonian Renwick Gallery, Washington DC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Victoria & Albert Museum, London and the Tokyo National Modern Art, as well as at the Venice Biennale.
Tagliapietra’s collaboration is just the beginning of Soneva Fushi’s plans to offer unique and rare experiences to their guests in the form of special courses and interactive events such as glass-blowing workshops. Several glass exhibitions are scheduled to be held every year in conjunction with a rotating programme of visiting artists. The Venetian maestro was followed by another well-known glass artist Dr Sunny Wang in February this year.
Born in Taiwan and educated in Australia, Wang, who is the Assistant Professor of Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University, contemplates the meaning of life through her colourful glass sculptures.
From March 13 to April 5, the Glass Studio will feature another internationally renowned artist, American Howard Ben Tré, who will create a series of works at the resort.
A pioneer in the use of cast glass as a sculptural medium, Ben Tre has won critical acclaim for his unique sculptures and large-scale works of art for public and private spaces. His works have been included in more than 101 museums and public collections worldwide, among them the Metropolitan Museum of Art; the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; the Philadelphia Museum of Art; the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY; the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden; the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution; the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto; and the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nice, among others.
Among his public commissions are the award-winning installation of fountains and seating created for Post Office Square Park in Boston; the plaza and sculpture for BankBoston’s headquarters in downtown Providence; a sited sculpture for the plaza at the Rhode Island Convention Center, Providence; and an interactive fountain for the hall of the newly renovated Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston.
“We are also hoping that our facility will stimulate the Maldivian art scene, as we aim to both nurture the talents of Maldivian artists and provide a platform for them to get recognition,” said Kevin Christison, Soneva’s Curator of Art.
“So far visitors to the island have been very fascinated by the glass facility and some of them have already had some glass-blowing training and have returned home with personally-designed pieces of art,” Christison concluded.
Soneva’s studio, which opened its doors in September last year year, was conceptualised as a state-of-the-art facility for resort guests to watch world-renowned glass artists create objects of art, and learn the art of glass blowing. It also includes a retail boutique and art gallery, designed to showcase the work of Maldivian and international glass artists.
The facility uses only waste glass materials used at Soneva resorts and other resorts in the Maldives. It is estimated that the resorts in the Baa Atoll alone produce more than five tonnes of glass waste, every month. “The idea behind this project is to turn the glass into something that is much more beautiful and valuable than it was in its previous state,” said Sonu Shivdasani, Founder and CEO of Soneva.
This Eid ul Adha, Kandima Maldives will be marking this meaningful time of the year with a three-day on-island programme, Eid at Kandima: A Maldivian Island Celebration, running from 25 to 28 May 2026. The programme brings together Maldivian cultural experiences, festive dining, and evening entertainment across the resort’s key venues.
The celebration opens on 25 May with Maldivian Mondays, the resort’s ongoing cultural series, anchored at Breeze Beach. The evening opens with Coconut Chronicles, an immersive storytelling performance rooted in Maldivian heritage, accompanied by a delicious spread of local snacks, fresh refreshments, and handcrafted coconut carts, alongside a live Bodu Beru performance, the traditional Maldivian drumming that has long been the heartbeat of island celebration.
Eid day itself, 26 May, begins at the table – where travellers will find a generous spread of Maldivian morning staples added to the special breakfast corner at Zest. Highlights include Barabo and Curry Leaf Mas Huni, alongside the classic preparation, served with both traditional Chapati and Coconut Chapati.
From that morning through to 28 May, guests can also enjoy a seasonal Baklava and Spanish Latte pairing at Deli and the lakeside Aroma cafe, a small but considered nod to the broader festive spirit running across the island.
Come evening, Zest will be transformed to host the Eid Special BBQ featuring seafood and meat selections, before moving to Breeze for an Arabian Night celebration, complete with a dazzling fire aerobatics and dance performance, live music from The Kabans, and a DJ set that keeps the energy flowing.
Special Culinary Spotlight: Chef Omar Allibhoy x Kandima
Omar Allibhoy, a celebrated chef and founder of the UK’s Tapas Revolution restaurant group and having worked at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze, will also be hosting a sunset live cooking demonstration on 27 May as a visiting partner. Working alongside Executive Chef Ivan, he will also be developing a limited-time-only Spanish-Maldivian fusion dish at Azure, Kandima’s atmospheric a-la-carte restaurant, which will continue to feature in Azure’s menu for three months following the collaboration, meaning guests travelling to Kandima through the summer can still experience a taste of the moment long after the visit itself.
As part of his visit, Omar will also join Kandima in unveiling the newly-renovated agricultural area of Fresh Labs, the resort’s on-island growing space with hydroponic planters, where freshly cultivated herbs and fruits will be incorporated into island cuisine and guest beverages as the space moves into full operation, where the resort is planning to also launch new foraging experiences and farm visits for guests.
In celebration of World Turtle Day, Canareef Resort Maldives hosted an impactful marine conservation awareness talk last evening at the resort’s Dhoaraa Bar. The interactive session drew a passionate crowd of guests and team members eager to learn about protecting the fragile marine ecosystems surrounding the island.
Located in the highly biodiverse Addu Atoll—a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve—Canareef Resort sits directly upon one of the most vital sea turtle habitats in the entire Indian Ocean region. The surrounding pristine waters are home to over 1,200 marine species, including two distinct, endangered residents: the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).
During the presentation, the conservation talk highlighted the fundamentally different and crucial ecological roles these two species play on the same reef:
- Green Turtles serve as essential marine grazers, maintaining the health of seagrass beds. Their grazing promotes fresh seagrass growth, which absorbs carbon dioxide and acts as a vital nursery ground for juvenile fish. Without them, these essential seagrass beds can collapse.
- Hawksbill Turtles, recognised by their narrow, pointed beaks, feed predominantly on sea sponges. By keeping fast-growing sponge populations in check, they prevent them from smothering coral colonies, giving the reef the valuable space it needs to regenerate.
The talk also directly addressed the modern challenges facing sea turtle survival, including plastic pollution, accidental entanglement in fishing gear (bycatch), and light pollution. Marine experts reminded the audience that while sea turtles have successfully navigated the Earth’s oceans for over 100 million years—long before the Maldivian islands even formed—their future survival now rests heavily on human action.
To bridge the gap between awareness and everyday action, Canareef Resort shared a practical roadmap detailing how everyone can directly assist in local conservation efforts:
- In the Water: Swimmers and divers are advised to maintain a respectful three-meter distance from turtles, avoid flash photography, and never step on coral structures.
- On the Beach: Everyone is encouraged to keep beaches completely clear of personal items like sunloungers and bags at night so nesting turtles and hatchlings face no obstructions. Additionally, avoiding the use of torches on the beach after dark helps prevent confusing hatchlings as they navigate toward the ocean using the natural bright horizon.
- Active Reporting: Anyone on the island can support active tracking networks by reporting any distressed or entangled turtles directly to the resort’s reception or the Diverland dive centre team.
Canareef Resort Maldives continues to actively support regional environmental frameworks, highlighting the work of national turtle monitoring by the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) and regional protections like the Addu Biosphere rules. Through engaging educational sessions like the World Turtle Day talk, the resort reaffirms its commitment to sustainable tourism, preserving Addu Atoll’s breathtaking natural legacy for generations to come.
ELE|NA has been announced as a finalist in two prestigious categories at the World Spa & Wellness Awards 2026, marking a significant achievement for both the brand and the Maldives wellness industry.
The categories include:
- Worldwide Luxury Hotel / Resort Spa of the Year for ELE|NA Elements of Nature at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI
- Sustainable Spa of the Year for ELE|NA Ayur at OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO
Hosted annually in London, the World Spa & Wellness Awards (WSWA), launched in 2012 by the UK-based Professional Beauty Group, are regarded as one of the most prestigious accolades within the global wellness and hospitality industry. With over 30 years of expertise in spa and beauty industry awards, the Professional Beauty Group created the awards to recognise excellence in care, service, innovation, and industry standards across the global wellness sector.
Covering regions including Europe, the Middle East & Africa, North & South America, and Asia & Australasia, the awards celebrate outstanding luxury spas, wellness destinations, and sustainable wellness initiatives worldwide. Judged by an independent panel of industry experts and wellness leaders, the awards honour brands and properties that demonstrate exceptional guest experiences, operational excellence, and meaningful contributions to the evolving wellness landscape. Being shortlisted among leading international wellness brands further reinforces ELE|NA’s growing presence on the global wellness stage.
The nomination for Worldwide Luxury Hotel / Resort Spa of the Year recognises the exceptional wellness experiences offered at ELE|NA Elements of Nature at OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI. Located in the serene island setting of the Maldives, the spa offers a holistic approach to wellbeing through thoughtfully designed spa journeys that integrate therapeutic traditions, modern wellness science, and immersive sensory experiences. With luxurious tranquil overwater treatment rooms and personalised wellness programmes, guests are invited to reconnect with balance, relaxation, and vitality.
The Sustainable Spa of the Year nomination for ELE|NA Ayur at OBLU NATURE Helengeli by SENTIDO, is the only representative from the Maldives that is shortlisted in this category. It highlights the brand’s commitment to conscious wellness practices, sustainability-led initiatives, and environmentally responsible spa operations. Sustainability is thoughtfully woven into the guest experience through interactive workshops and mindful activities. Further strengthening its commitment to responsible wellness, ELE|NA has achieved the Gold Standard accreditation from Sustainable Wellness, a non-profit organisation established in 2020 that provides independent sustainability guidance and benchmarking for the wellness industry.
Being recognised across both luxury wellness and sustainability categories reflects ELE|NA’s continued commitment to redefining holistic wellbeing experiences. This marks an important milestone in ELE|NA’s journey of creating meaningful, conscious, and transformative wellness experiences rooted in nature, innovation, and mindful hospitality.
Designed to be adaptable across resort and spa environments, ELE|NA’s Wellness Your Way™, philosophy and sustainability framework continue to demonstrate how mindful wellness practices can enhance both guest experience and long-term value creation. Through experiential workshops, responsible spa operations, and holistic wellbeing concepts rooted in nature, ELE|NA is helping shape the future of sustainable wellness hospitality in the Maldives, India and beyond.
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