Homo Faber - An Island of Light

An island dedicated to artisanal crafts

Homo Faber is the world's leading event for artisanal crafts and high craftsmanship. Promoted by the Michelangelo Foundation and the Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte, in collaboration with the Giorgio Cini Foundation, it is held on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, opposite St. Mark's Square. Founded in 2018, it has become a biennial event celebrating the talent, mastery, and innovation of contemporary excellence in craftsmanship.

An Island of Light, the fourth edition

The fourth edition, titled An Island of Light, is curated by British designer and artist Es Devlin, renowned for her monumental installations and stage designs for museums, theatres, and Olympic stadiums worldwide. Devlin and her team have conceived 15 immersive and luminous installations, designed to showcase the works of hundreds of artisans: ceramicists, glassblowers, sculptors, woodturners, paper artists, weavers, blacksmiths, embroiderers, mosaic artists, and many more.

Artisans at the centre

The heart of the exhibition are the artisans: photographs, videos, poetry, and music tell their stories, nationalities, and cultures, placing them at the centre of the visitor experience. In parallel, the Homo Faber in Città initiative opens the artisanal workshops and studios of Venice to the public, transforming the entire city into a widespread stage for artisanal crafts. A unique opportunity to discover the dialogue between tradition, design, and creativity in one of the most evocative locations in the Veneto region.