Dedicated to fine craftsmanship and hands-on creativity, Homo Faber is a biennial exhibition curated by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, an international non-profit organization committed to promoting the arts and fostering dialogue between craftsmanship, design, and contemporary art.
The title chosen for this edition, An Island of Light, invites visitors to explore the fundamental relationship between light, materials, and the human hand: a connection that, at the heart of artisanal creativity, expresses the sensitive intelligence of manual gesture. The event unfolds in a unique setting, among the gardens and historic buildings of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, where light becomes a poetic and narrative medium to highlight the extraordinary objects created by master artisans.
Following Luca Guadagnino in 2024, the artistic direction of this highly anticipated edition has been entrusted to the British designer and artist Es Devlin, an internationally renowned figure known for her large-scale light installations and scenographic projects that intertwine art, performance, and architecture. Devlin, whose works have been exhibited in major museums, theaters, and public spaces worldwide, has designed fifteen immersive installations that will frame the creations of hundreds of artisans from around the world, including ceramists, glassmakers, weavers, mosaicists, blacksmiths, and engravers. Within this multisensory journey, visitors will be able to admire unique objects and pieces of the highest artisanal quality, attend live demonstrations, participate in interactive workshops, and explore traditional and contemporary techniques.
In addition to the main exhibition, Homo Faber in Città returns, a city-wide program throughout Venice that opens local artisan workshops to the public, highlighting the lagoon’s manual heritage and creating a bridge between global craftsmanship and Venetian tradition.
