From 14th to 30th September, every afternoon in the Squero hall at Homo Faber, the protagonists of craftsmanship and artistic and creative excellence will share their vision with the public. The sessions take place in the language indicated in the programme, without translation. Other sessions and speakers will be announced soon.

A Series Of Talks And Discussions With Artisans, Curators, Artists And Experts

Best of Europe
FRIDAY 14.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | CREATIVITY

The largest room of Homo Faber (500 sqm) showcases the work of the best master artisans of Europe, from Italy to Iceland, from Bulgaria to Estonia, using materials ranging from ceramic to textile, glass, silver, plastics, wood and more. We will discuss creative processes and European craftsmanship with the curator and the architect of the room.

Craftsmanship and Imagination
FRIDAY 14.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | DESIGN

India Mahdavi imagines spaces. Together with master artisans, the celebrated architect and designer has created for Homo Faber two unique “follies” showcasing the potential of fine craftsmanship to shape and inspire. In this session, Bruno Giussani will engage in a dialogue with Mahdavi about imagination, materials, and modern living.

Glass between craftsmanship and design
SATURDAY 15.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | DESIGN

The intersection of glass craft and design has always proved fruitful. It is a space where tradition is celebrated as innovation is pursued – pushing forward towards novel interpretations of glass to match (and shape) contemporary tastes and desires. A discussion with French designer Emmanuel Babled and Danish scholar/artist Maria Sparre-Petersen.

Where the Venetian masters work
SATURDAY 15.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | PHOTOGRAPHY

Photographer Susanna Pozzoli has trained her camera on the “bottega” (workshops) of 21 master artisans from Venice and the surrounding region – spaces of unique skills and creativity. The images are exhibited in one of the rooms of Homo Faber, curated by Denis Curti. Here, the photographer discusses the making-of, together with two artisans.

If it is Virtual, Is it Craft?
MONDAY 17.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | TECHNOLOGY

Design and production of real-time 3D interactive experiences like video games or virtual reality are often considered relatively automated processes. But behind the making of these virtual experiences there are creative men and women with highly honed skills – a sort of “digital craftsmanship” that will be discussed in this talk through the example of the “Colossus of Venice”, the virtual reality guide (specially created for Homo Faber) taking visitors through the complex worlds of three exceptional artisans: the hard-stone inlayer, the automaton maker and the enameller.

The New Frontiers of Conservation
TUESDAY 18.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | BOOKS

The Michelangelo Foundation with the Cologni Foundation and Open Care presents a preview of “Art Work”, the English translation of the important book by Isabella Villafranca Soissons “In Opera” published by Marsilio, dedicated to the fascinating world of restoration and conservation of contemporary art. This session will take place in English and Italian, without translation.

Craftsmanship in a post-industrial world
WEDNESDAY 19.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | ECONOMY

Craftsmanship and mobility mingle in the “Workshop Exclusives” room curated by Stefano Micelli for Homo Faber, where even a handmade helicopter is exhibited. In this talk and subsequent discussion with host Bruno Giussani, the economist explores the intersection of craftsmanship and of the “fourth industrial revolution”.

Italian masters of beauty
FRIDAY 21.09.2018
18:00-18:45 | CONFERENCE | BOOKS

The Fondazione Cologni and publishing house IdeaBooks present a preview of the new publications “Maestri della grande bellezza” (“Italian Masters of Beauty”): an extraordinary tribute to 35 Italian masters of excellence, true “living treasures” active in all sectors of high artistic craftsmanship.

Fabrics of everyday life
WEDNESDAY 19.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | CREATIVITY

Fabrics are an ordinary feature of daily life. Not, however, when they are recombined by celebrated artist Joana Vasconcelos. In this talk, she will guide the audience through her creative process of appropriation and re-contextualization, at large scale, of pre-existing objects and everyday realities.

Traditional skills vs the digital world
MONDAY 24.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | TECHNOLOGY

At the interface of handicrafts and digital technology lies a wide and mostly-unexplored space for innovation as well as for the preservation of traditions. In this session, Rainald Franz will discuss how technology changes (or not) the role of traditional skills, and the objects they produce.

Crafts thinking
THURSDAY 27.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | FUTURE

What role does craft play in an uncertain world in search of meaning? Beyond the excellence of the artisans’ skills and works, we see signs of craftsmanship’s impact extending into education, politics, economy and the environment. Chloé Braunstein-Kriegel and Fabien Petiot, co-authors of the new anthology “Crafts”, argue that it’s time for “craft thinking”

China, Korea, Japan: markets or rivals for European crafts?
FRIDAY 28.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | ECONOMY

Often considered a target market for European crafts companies, China, Korea and Japan are also characterized by a strong craft tradition and represent nowadays a growing challenge for European stakeholders. In collaboration with Institut National des Métiers d’Art INMA

Craftsmanship, crafts and society
SATURDAY 29.09.2018
15:15-16:00 | CONFERENCE | PHOTOGRAPHY

This session explores the work of Atelier Hélio’g, one of the last to use the photogravure process (engraving and printing technique invented at the end of the 19th century) and to collaborate with artists and journalists, embellishing and ensuring the sustainability of their creations. In collaboration with Institut National des Métiers d’Art INMA.

Know-how, and knowing why
SUNDAY 30.09.2018
14:00-14:45 | CONFERENCE | ECONOMY

Luxury is living through a paradox: while big brands may be tempted to yield to the impersonal logic of mass production, they must at the same time guarantee value and durability. The role of the metiérs d’arts thus becomes essential to confirm the codes of elegance and exclusivity. In collaboration with Institut National des Métiers d’Art INMA.

Don’t forget to download Legacy – A Design & Craftmanship Testimony for free