Japanese theatre and fine artisanal European traditions take the stage at Homo Faber Event 2022

Iconic American director and visual artist Robert Wilson alludes to his groundbreaking 1993
staging of Madama Butterfly to evoke, with his signature lighting, sound and costumes,
the métier of theatre.

Portrait of the American director and visual artist, Robert Wilson- Laila Pozzo ©Michelangelo Foundation

• Objects on display include artworks made by Japanese master artisans such as the exquisitely lacquered WAITING chair featured in Madama Butterfly
• An immersive experience for visitors in the 1960s Gandini swimming pool and garden, masterfully transformed into a mediative and surprising suspended space which references the stage design of Madama Butterfly
• Drama comes to life with Frida Parmeggiani’s original costumes, as well as video portraits of famed choreographer Suzushi Hanayagi, from a 400-year lineage of Japanese performers

In an evocative exhibition at Homo Faber Event 2022 entitled WAITING with peace and darkness, Robert Wilson, the iconic American director and visual artist, reveals how Japan’s great traditions inspired his theatrical productions, and in particular, his 1993 staging of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the Opera in Paris. Visitors will experience Wilson’s theatrical genius as he transforms the space, a former 1960s swimming pool, into a dramatic stage with his signature use of lighting, sound and many more visual effects.

Visitors enter a suspended space, rich in visual and artisanal references, articulated so as to create a sense of peace and awe. On display are stage objects created by master Japanese craftspeople, such as the magnificent WAITING chair in which Butterfly sits, which was lacquered using the traditional technique and is stored in a custom box as beautiful as the chair itself.

Also on display are pieces of Japanese origin, the stunning sculptural costumes designed by Frida Parmeggiani, as well as ink drawings by Wilson himself. The exhibition also features video portraits of Suzushi Hanayagi, who choreographed the 1993 opera and collaborated with Wilson on more than 15 major productions. As a descendant of the Hanayagi family, an old lineage of performers, she was trained in the traditions of Nō and Kabuki theatre and Bunraku puppetry.

Although some assumed that Wilson’s early work was influenced by Japanese theatre, it wasn’t until the late 1970s that he travelled there for a month, a visit that he says changed his life forever. “I met Hideo Kanze, the oldest member of the Nō theatre, and Tamasaburo, a young superstar in the Kabuki theatre, as well as Hiroshi Teshigahara, a filmmaker and master flower arranger, and many others,” Wilson writes. “I had never before experienced the theatre of Japan, but it was a validation of everything I was doing in my own work.”

It was mind-opening, he says, to become acquainted with Asian culture, including the concept of yin and yang, which recognises the duality in nature and all things, and the idea that two is actually one. This was in the back of his mind like a footnote when envisioning the exhibition for Homo Faber Event 2022.

At the same time, Wilson says, when one goes to an exhibition, theatre or opera, it is the experience that is key. “It’s not something you intellectualise,” he says. “I think it’s important to go in with an open mind. And try to empty your head of any preconceived ideas and to experience what is in front of you.” – Robert Wilson

WAITING with peace and darkness is set in the the former Gandini swimming pool. It is one of 15 exhibitions that comprise Homo Faber Event 2022, organised by the Michelangelo Foundation

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Homo Faber Event

Crafting a more human future

Fondazione Giorgio Cini, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice

Organised by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, the Homo Faber Event is an international exhibition that champions artisanal talent, showcasing an impressive variety of materials, techniques and skills through live demonstrations, immersive digital experiences and imaginative displays of handcrafted creations. From functional everyday objects to outstanding decorative pieces, this edition highlights craft’s role in creating a more sustainable and inclusive future. The event offers a rare chance to admire the prestigious work of a selection of Japan’s National Living Treasures and to experience craft and its connections to the arts and to the design world. Visitors can join guided tours of the 15 exhibition spaces led by passionate students participating in the Young Ambassadors Programme. Imagined by a team of world-renowned curators and designers, the scenographic event transforms the magnificent spaces of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, located on San Giorgio Maggiore Island in the heart of the Venetian lagoon. On top of the event, the Homo Faber in Città project gives visitors a chance to experience craftsmanship across Venice through tailor-made itineraries. homofaber.com

The Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship is a non-profit institution based in Geneva, Switzerland, which champions contemporary craftspeople worldwide with the aim of promoting a more human, inclusive and sustainable future. The Foundation seeks to highlight the connections between craft, the wider arts and the design world. Its mission is to both celebrate and preserve craftsmanship and its diversity of makers, materials and techniques, by increasing craft’s everyday recognition and its viability as a professional path for the next generations. From engaging educational programmes such as the Summer Schools, to its signature digital project the Homo Faber Guide and the international exhibition Homo Faber Event, the Foundation is fostering a cultural movement centred on master artisans and rising stars. michelangelofoundation.org

Robert Wilson

Texas-born Robert Wilson is one of the world’s foremost theatre directors and visual artists. His works for the stage unconventionally incorporate a wide variety of artistic media including dance, movement, lighting, sculpture, music and text. His productions have been acclaimed by audiences and critics worldwide, and he has won numerous awards including the Golden Lion of the Venice Biennale, two Premio Ubu Awards and an Olivier Award, as well as a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. His drawings, paintings and sculptures have been exhibited internationally and are held in private and public collections around the world.

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