On September 1 in Venice, Italy, the third edition of Homo Faber opened at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, coinciding with the Venice Film Festival, and on view through September 30. Under the magnetic concept titled “The Journey of Life,” spearheaded by Hanneli Rupert, Vice Chair of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, a profound voyage through masterful contemporary craftsmanship sheds light on life’s most cherished and enigmatic moments within ten themed presentations.
“Birth,” photo by Giulio Ghirardi, © Michelangelo Foundation, courtesy of Homo Faber.
Dreamlike Art Direction by Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini Immerses Guests
With sweeping art direction by Luca Guadagnino and architect Nicolò Rosmarini, visitors of all ages will be beckoned into an otherworldly realm where reality meets fantasy, enhanced by awe-inspired artistry.
“I chose the theme The Journey of Life because I wanted something simple that would resonate globally, and simultaneously allow us to show, for the first time, works from around the world,” said Rupert.
“Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined the beauty and simplicity of vision with which Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini could have interpreted this. I am particularly excited by the geographic variety of crafts and skill sets that we are showcasing side by side, many of which urgently need help to keep them alive for future generations to appreciate.”
“I chose the theme The Journey of Life because I wanted something simple that would resonate globally,”
— Hanneli Rupert
“Nature,” Photo by Giulio Ghirardi, ©Michelangelo Foundation, courtesy of Homo Faber.
The World’s Craft Experts Select Over 400 Visionaries for Homo Faber 2024
Craft aficionados Kei Osawa of Tokyo, Elbé Coetsee of Cape Town, Jaeyoung Kang of Seoul, Diana Campbell of Dhaka, Romain Juilha of Paris, Jean Blanchaert & Irina Eschenazi of Milan, Dr. Kevin Murray of Melbourne, Mary Savig of Washington D.C., and Glenn Adamson of New York were united by Homo Faber to select this year’s groundbreaking artisans.
A parade of over 400 meditative visionaries such as Peter Olson, Liam Lee, Carl Fox, Anastasia Kovaleva, and Josh Gluckstein bring more than 800 of their most forward-thinking works to the global encounter. Each artisan shares visceral insights ranging from the marvels of birth and childhood, to the enigmas of our dreamlike states and surreal visions of the afterlife.
Set on the picturesque San Giorgio Maggiore island, Homo Faber 2024 activates every realm of the historic institution with dazzling objects of 105 diverse crafts, tailor-made gastronomic experiences, and live performances. In addition, Homo Faber in Città unfurls in collaboration with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte across the majestic city, offering visitors access to 70 artisanal workshops and the city’s secret treasures.
“Love (Union),” photo by Giulio Ghirardi, © Michelangelo Foundation, courtesy of Homo Faber.
A Fantastical Journey Awaits in Venice
A whimsical ticket office welcomes guests through a blissful passarella that meanders through each exhibition. Highlights including fine dining at Ristorante La Vela within the nearby yacht club, a lush selection of merchandise at the Homo Faber Shop, and an array of participatory workshops are sure to beguile and delight. The New Homo Faber Awards 2024, in partnership with Via Arno, will bestow three meaningful prizes.
“We wanted to create incredible moments through large-scale installations but also a harmonious journey through all the rooms,” said Rosmarini.
“We went into detail with every single element in the rooms, which was an amazing collaboration with the greatest artisans and experts to create elements that show incredible values and craftsmanship. It’s been amazing to be faced with the architecture of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini and try to emphasize it but also play with it.”
“We went into detail with every single element in the rooms, which was an amazing collaboration with the greatest artisans and experts to create elements that show incredible values and craftsmanship,”
— Nicolò Rosmarini
“Celebration,” photo by Giulio Ghirardi, © Michelangelo Foundation, courtesy of Homo Faber.
Artisan Liam Lee Creates Ethereal Furniture Energized by Mother Nature
Artisan Liam Lee displays an unparalleled practice using felted wool, and his prismatic, sensual furniture is energized by Mother Nature’s bounty. Shortlisted for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize in 2023, Lee’s creations transport audiences to verdant fields of flowers and textural fungi, as well as into ethereal, starry universes.
“I enjoy exploring slippages in legibility in my work through playing with scale, collapsing
various natural elements on top of one another,” said Lee. “This is in the hope of creating a sense of semi-recognition and childlike wonder when encountering one of my objects.”
Based in Brooklyn, the artist is known for his fanciful and shadowy chairs, meticulously created by grafting felted wool on wooden frames, culminating in kaleidoscopic, larger-than-life echoes of coral, bacteria, and see pods, which can be situated in the home for the ultimate reverie.
Liam Lee Artisan Chair, © All rights reserved, courtesy of Homo Faber.
Josh Gluckstein Focuses on Endangered Species with Works of Art in Recycled Cardboard
Meanwhile, Josh Gluckstein’s sweeping sculptures invoking the vitality of marine life and the grandeur of wild animals are enthralling works of art in recycled cardboard. A personal exploration of the material during COVID led the visionary to a heartfelt practice which places the global consciousness of endangered species and our precious environment as its heart.
“I collect all the scraps from a piece and build them into the structure of my next sculpture,” said Gluckstein. “I really enjoy the circularity of it—how the discarded pieces from one sculpture are the building blocks of another.”
At this year’s much-anticipated iteration of Homo Faber, the artist will reveal a vast cardboard sculpture featuring a coral reef of 50 diverse marine species—his most far-reaching work yet. Rejoicing in the elaborate biodiversity of the world’s oceans, Gluckstein expertly focuses our attention on the shimmering natural world that gives us life.
