Inspiration is around the corner : Experience a selection of the best Portuguese craftsmanship through Homo Faber Guide

 

• Looking to discover Portugal through new eyes?
• Searching for a one-of-a-kind bespoke handcrafted object?
• Curious to learn of Christian Hass’ best kept addresses?
• Eager to discover the philosophy behind Vanessa Barragão’s textiles?
• Would you like to have a go at making azulejo tiles or jewellery making?

Homo Faber Guide places the world of fine craftsmanship in Europe at your fingertips. Experience excellence with access to a selection of the best master artisans, rising talents, galleries, ateliers, manufacturers and museums from all over the continent. The guide is created in collaboration with the international network of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship which provides local expertise, recommends, evaluates and endorses featured participants.

Rediscover Portugal in a new light, revisiting your favourite places, enriched by new encounters and experiences. Follow the recommendations of our carefully selected Portuguese city ambassadors and prestigious partner institutions to find hidden gems as they share the craftsmanship found on their doorsteps. Wherever you are in Portugal, find courses around the corner to express your own creativity.

First to Porto, follow in the footsteps of city ambassador designer Christian Hass and find your way to the workshop of scale model maker Alvaro Negrello and discover the artistic detail and imagination with which he creates his architectural models. Next wind your way through the heart of the city to meet brush maker Sergio Rodrigues and learn all the secrets of this family tradition. From here, be led to the workshop of ceramicist Teresa Branco and take part in a hands-on experience learning how to handcraft azulejo tiles.

Pack your bags for Lisbon. Stop on your way at the workshop of Vítor Agostinho to discover his experimental approach to ceramics. Watch the way he fuses slip cast ceramics with blown glass. Just around the corner, you will find product designer Jorge Carreira. Marvel at the way he works with diverse materials to create innovative pieces. If you’re looking for a unique approach to basket weaving, wind your way to the workshop of Eneida Lombe Tavares. Keep following the road south until you reach the small seaside city of Cascais, here you can find one of Joana Vasconcelos’ favourite artisans, bookbinder Andreia Tibério dos Santos. See how along with her father, she is keeping a family tradition alive and injecting her own contemporary vision. Wind your way to the heart of the capital city to see it through the eyes of Joana, and seek out ceramicist Bela Silva and see for yourself how she creates her striking pieces. For a special experience, step inside the historical building housing Maria Joao Bahia’s, jewellery studio and have a go at crafting your own piece of jewellery.
 

Whilst in Lisbon, find the time to visit Manufactum by FRESS, a shop founded by partner institution the Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva Foundation. Here you can find contemporary pieces of craftsmanship, designed by Filipe Alarcão, Marco Sousa Santos, Emmanuel Babled, Marre Moerel and Sam Baron, and handcrafted by artisans. To delve into the rich past of fine craftsmanship, pay a visit to the Museu Nacional de Etnologia / Museu de Arte Popular, delight at the diversity and array of objects you can find in the museum’s vast collections. For those in search of Lisbon’s characteristic traditional tiles, head to XVIII Azulejo e Faiança, a shop filled with treasurable tiles, created and hand painted by skilled artisans, even catch a glimpse of the process at their on-site workshop. For surf enthusiasts, don’t miss the opportunity to meet board maker Gonçalo Belmonte and discover his eco-friendly surfboards. For an insight into Portuguese craftsmanship, follow the recommendation of Passa ao futuro and visit the gallery, A Vida Portuguesa, established in 2013 by journalist Catarina Portas.

Follow the coastal road to the southern tip of the country to the Algarve. Here, meander you way to meet gifted textile designer, Vanessa Barragão in her seaside hometown of Albufeira. Learn all about the secrets of her creativity and how the ocean on her doorstep, provides her with daily inspiration and the passion to pursue her craft. Not far away, be guided to gallery Loulé Criativo upon the recommendation of CEARTE, here you can find pieces of beauty, meet the artists in residence or take part in a workshop, all centred on unique aspects of the area's regional identity and heritage.

Create your own unique craftsmanship itinerary 
You are the master; the guide is your tool.
From 17 September 2020, visit homofaber.com or download the app available for free on both Apple Store and Google Play Store.

User guide:
Homo Faber Guide is structured into different sections: Discover, Visit, Experience and Ambassadors.

Discover: Find a selection of the best master artisans and rising talents, ateliers and manufacturers of excellence from all over Europe. Connect with them directly through the guide.

Visit: Find museums, galleries and shops linked to fine craftsmanship to visit in all corners of the continent.

Experience: Find a curated list of workshop visits, artisan master classes, guided tours, and temporary exhibitions and fairs across Europe.

Ambassadors: Renowned individuals and partner institutions within the craft, creativity and design world who recommend their favourite artisans, galleries and experiences in their home cities.

Subcategories: search by country, city, craft or material.