Meet The Exceptional Works by the Best European Artisans At Homo Faber

September 19, 2018

Meet The Exceptional Works by the Best European Artisans At Homo Faber – CovetED Magazine is very honored to welcome you to Europe as an extremely rich source of the most incredible craftsmanship. Organised by the prestigious Michelangelo Foundation, the event’s main mission is to craft a more human future. It is currently taking place at Fondazione Giorgio Cini, in Venice, Italy where a group of master artisans, designers and creators are showcasing the beauty, value and meaning of craftsmanship. Today, CovetED takes you on a journey through craftsmanship around Europe, from silver in Switzerland to glass in Germany, paper in Denmark, ceramics in Portugal and porcelain in Poland. See the shell-like creations of an Icelandic artisan working with local felt. Discover the larger-than-life flowers made by a sculptor in the Netherlands who is inspired by the paintings of a 17th-century Dutch artist. Witness the contemporary lampworking sculptures of a master artisan born and bred on the famous glassmaking island of Murano.

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If you go back in time, there are hundreds of examples of contemporary craftsmanship to inspire the present times. For instance, did you know that artisans in the Volterra region of Italy have been working with alabaster for more than three thousand years? Or that gilding leather has been a tradition in the northern Netherlands since the 17th century? Discover the rich artisanal heritage that inspires contemporary European craftsmanship in this fascinating showcase of hundreds of objects made by over 150 artist-artisans working across the continent today. Wonderfully displayed in an exhibit designed by Italian architect Stefano Boeri, each object has been conceived and made by a single creative talent who draws on the traditional techniques and materials of their homeland to create contemporary works. Together, these fascinating objects paint a picture of Europe, reflecting the rich culture, history, landscape, knowledge and skills that make up this diverse continent.

Just as an accent links a person to a place, or a fine wine reflects its terroir, so these works echo the DNA of the very earth where they were created. In County Galway, Ireland, an artisan continues the area’s long-held tradition of basketweaving by making contemporary baskets from the willow trees around Loch na Fooey. In Ubrique, Spain, a master leatherworker designs and makes innovative leather objects using his village’s old stone streets as a mould. Each of these artist-artisans has immense respect for the past while striving to develop and innovate, taking ancient skills with them into the future.