Homo Faber Crafting a more human future

“Showcasing what human beings can do better than machines”

This September Homo Faber celebrates European craftsmanship in the beautiful Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice. The building’s galleries, library, cloisters and even its 1960s-designed swimming pool will host masterpieces, exhibitions, installations and workshops presenting the work of European artisans at the top of their game.
Italian architect Michele de Lucchi, London-based professor of fashion Judith Clark, gallerist Jean Blanchaert, acclaimed architect Stefano Boeri and Parisian interior designer India Mahdavi are among the world-class names creating the 16 exhibition spaces. Together, the exhibits showcase a vast array of materials and expertise, from rare traditional skills on the brink of being lost to the most cutting-edge contemporary techniques.

An immersive experience, the exhibition offers visitors an unprecedented opportunity to meet artisans and watch them work: observe contemporary and antique artworks being restored, see bespoke bicycles being made and watch master artisans creating something gorgeous right in front of your eyes. The use of photographs, Go Pro footage and virtual reality will transport visitors straight to the heart of artisanal workshops, giving them a real understanding of the connection between hand, head and heart that is crucial for creating exquisite objects of lasting value.

“Homo Faber is an expression that was first coined during the Renaissance and it captures and celebrates the infinite creativity of human beings,” says Johann Rupert, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation, which is organizing the exhibition. “The exhibit will provide a panoramic view of European fine craftsmanship but it will nevertheless have a singular undercurrent: what human beings can do better than machines.”

An artwork in itself and a center of cultural and humanistic studies, the Fondazione Giorgio Cini is the perfect location for Homo Faber, and visitors will get the chance to explore spaces that are not usually open to the public.

“We chose Venice for this exhibition not only because it is a bastion of culture and a place of unequalled beauty,” Franco Cologni, co-founder of the Michelangelo Foundation, explains, “but also because Venice is today and has always been a European hub for exchange and connection internationally.”