Homo Faber: Crafting a more human future
2020 Living Treasures of Europe and Japan
10 September –11 October 2020
Fondazione Giorgio Cini
San Giorgio Maggiore Island, Venice, Italy
- Homo Faber returns in 2020 for a second edition of the ground-breaking cultural exhibition dedicated to the best of European craftsmanship
- It welcomes Japan as a special guest, with exhibitions featuring a selection of the country’s National Living Treasures, a prestigious designation for its finest master artisans, and exceptional objects they made using revered traditions, from lacquer to textile dyeing
- 17 exhibition spaces, each dedicated to different aspects of craftsmanship, imagined by a world-class team of designers, curators and architects on site at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini
- An immersive experience allowing visitors to meet artisans and watch them work in real time
- Open 10am to 6pm daily from 10 September–11 October. Tickets to be bought on site or at homofaberevent.com
Homo Faber 2020 returns to celebrate the best of European and Japanese craftsmanship in the beautiful premises of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice. The month-long event will host 17 exhibitions and installations presenting the work of European master artisans and also welcomes Japan as a special guest. Exhibitions will spotlight the country’s venerated craftsmanship traditions and honour its influence on European craftsmanship. Together, the exhibitions showcase a wide array of materials and expertise, from traditional skills in danger of being lost to the most cutting-edge contemporary techniques.
The world-class curators, designers and architects creating the 17 exhibition spaces are: Italian architect Michele De Lucchi, London-based fashion exhibition designer and curator Judith Clark, Japanese designer, professor and curator Naoto Fukasawa, French museum director and porcelain expert David Caméo, Belgian-Italian gallerist Jean Blanchaert, acclaimed architect Stefano Boeri, American director and visual artist Robert Wilson, German designer Sebastian Herkner, vintage car broker, expert and collector Simon Kidston, Japanese museum director Tokugo Uchida, renowned Japanese photographer Rinko Kawauchi, French curator and porcelain specialist Frédéric Bodet, Italian university professor and craftsmanship expert Stefano Micelli and French interior designer and scenographer Sylvain Roca.
Visitors will be able to discover the excellence of European craftsmanship through a series of showcases which reveal European master artisans, their techniques, traditions, workshops, innovative methods and the creativity of their individual crafts. Spectacular exhibitions will explore the human element at the heart of fine creations, the cherished savoir-faire, the unique narratives, territorial influences, and diverse materials which enrich each masterpiece, for an authentic celebration of European exquisite artisanship.
From Europe’s treasure trove, the exhibition will broaden its horizons to explore the entwining cultural relationship between Europe and Japan, the special guest of honour. Homo Faber 2020 honours the official recognition that Japan gives to its finest masters, designating them as keepers of important intangible cultural properties. It is considered a great honour to be a National Living Treasure, as they are known. Visitors will have the possibility to see some of the magnificent objects they have made – exquisite porcelain, a lacquered harp, hand-dyed kimonos and much more – as well as a photographic exhibition that shows them in their ateliers.
The event offers the public a rare opportunity to explore San Giorgio Maggiore Island and the magnificent structures of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini in an exhibition that covers nearly 4,000 square metres. It builds on the successful inaugural exhibition in September 2018, which drew 62,500 visitors and featured 410 artisans and designers, 900 unique artworks, and 91 live demonstrations.
© Courtesy of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini
“By celebrating European fine craftsmanship and the great traditions of Japan, we salute master artisans who aspire to be their very best”, says Johann Rupert, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation, which is organising Homo Faber 2020. “They are indeed living treasures: they create great value in our lives and demonstrate the vitality of the fine crafts in today’s world.”
The event brings visitors diverse, immersive experiences, including the chance to meet master artisans as they create something extraordinary in front of visitors’ eyes. Evocative images and video installations will transport spectators to master artisans’ workshops across Europe, affording them intimate views into the world of fine craftsmanship. Discover the craftsmanship behind the world’s most prestigious luxury brands and journey through a rendering of an iconic staging of Puccini’s opera, Madama Butterfly.
“Homo Faber 2020 offers a unique window into what is possible when the heart and mind finds expression through the hands”, says Franco Cologni, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation. “Once again, in the glorious venue of Venice, and with our guests from Japan, we are pleased to showcase extraordinary talent and offer a new perspective on creativity.”
Beyond the walls of Fondazione Giorgio Cini, a series of “satellite” exhibitions will take place around the city of Venice, in a multi-location exhibition entitled Homo Faber in Città. A unique itinerary winding through the streets of Venice mapping key locations for the metiers d’art, will allow visitors to keep investigating the beauty of craftsmanship beyond Homo Faber. Discover Venice’s rich artisanal heritage with visits to Venetian artisans’ workshops, the Fenice ateliers, Vivaldi’s violins exhibited in the church of Santa Maria della Pietà, the Domus Grimani exhibitions and much more.