Under the artistic direction of renowned British set designer and designer Es Devlin, light becomes a narrative and material element, guiding visitors through stunning immersive installations that celebrate the art of creating with one’s hands.

Es Devlin is renowned for revolutionizing the art of contemporary set design, creating iconic light installations and monumental kinetic sculptures: from major pop world tours (Beyoncé, Adele, The Weeknd, U2) to global events such as the 2022 Super Bowl Halftime Show and the 2016 Rio Olympics ceremony, to prestigious opera and fashion stages (from Louis Vuitton to La Scala in Milan).

Homo Faber 2026 exhibits more than 700 works by over 500 master craftsmen from around the world, who have gathered in Venice to celebrate the imperfect yet sublime encounter between human talent and material.

Homo Faber is conceived and promoted by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship—the Swiss non-profit foundation founded in Geneva by Johann Rupert and Franco Cologni to protect, promote, and connect masters of high-quality craftsmanship internationally—in collaboration with the Giorgio Cini Foundation.

The exhibition areas and the most “Secret” works

A Language of Hands & An Index of Artisans

The exhibition begins in a room featuring a recreation of an immense workshop, where various artisans demonstrate their mastery against the backdrop of a beautiful short film that pays homage to manual labor. From here, a dramatic black-and-white gallery opens, displaying portraits of all 500 artists who collaborated on the creation of Homo Faber 2026.

An Alphabet of Objects

The second room is an immense kinetic shelving system displaying over one hundred pieces of fine craftsmanship, projected into the space as luminous silhouettes, creating a visual alphabet of shapes, shadows, and textures.

Many beautiful vases and sculptures, such as Salomé Cousseau‘s walnut Sumo and Volupta, are embellished with garnet stones and held in place with gold-plated pins.

A Full Moon Rising

At the center of the evocative hall of the former Gandini Swimming Pool, a dramatic moon rises above the pool.

Inside and around it, various vases interact with iridescent reflections, such as those by Ji Woon Yang, Korean porcelain works that reinterpret the tradition of moon jars, traditional pot from the Joseon Dynasty, famous for their asymmetrical spherical shape reminiscent of the full moon.

A Rooted Ascent

In the monumental space of the former printing house, the focus is on wood and natural weaving, particularly wicker, willow, and rush, with live demonstrations by master carvers and cane weavers.

Many objects are on display, including the beautiful bag by Delvaux, the historic Belgian fashion house, made of leather and wicker grown in the Loire Valley, or the tray by Muan Hisatomi, a Japanese master who reinterpreted the shape of a famous Buddhist offering container from the Muromachi period. There are also many splendid furnishings, such as the rattan armchairs by Bonacina, a historic Como-based brand, or the sculpture by Shed, a hand-carved wooden work on rotating levels that evoke the incessant hustle and bustle of Mumbai.

An Atelier Alive

The heart of the Homo Faber exhibition is a true atelier where masters of eight different disciplines can be seen at work.

From the works of Abongile Sidzumo, a South African artist who uses repurposed leather scraps and paint to create intense, textured portraits, to the garments of Tarun Tahiliani, an Indian designer who reinterprets traditional fabrics with precious embroidery, to the sculptures of Debbie Lawson, a British artist who sculpts and shapes real oriental rugs, creating striking three-dimensional animal figures emerging from the textile weave.

An Infinite Birdsong

The rectangular space has been transformed into a glittering mirrored aviary that pays homage to nature and the lagoon landscape, featuring softly lit lanterns, insects and birds crafted using ancient artisanal techniques, and stunning display cases containing dreamy jewels such as Cartier‘s gold and diamond animal-shaped brooches.

A Feast of Light & A Luminous Ark

One of the most evocative spaces of the Cini Foundation opens with gigantic light installations in the shape of lagoon birds, designed by Es Devlin and created by Wen Qiuwen, a Chinese artist who combines the ancient art of paper lanterns with highly poetic three-dimensional structures, creating scenography of pure light.

Inside the majestic Palladian Refectory, a long monumental table hosts a white panel of porcelain, glass, paper, and fabric objects, including the Veiled Lady by Italian artist Massimiliano Pelletti in white Mexican onyx, and the headdress by Ukrainian artist Asya Kozina, a monumental work made entirely of hand-perforated white paper, transforming a simple material into a baroque and ethereal architectural work.

A Rainbow of Forms

In the next room, light refracts and breaks down into a prism of colors through objects in resin, glass, enamel, and contemporary materials on a splendid floor made from a carpet inspired by Goethe’s color theory and designed by Es Devlin.

Many objects feature hypnotic hues, such as Charlie Larouche Potvin‘s mouth-blown sculptures in which the Canadian master plays with the density of glass and unexpected chromatic nuances.

A Great Turning & Twenty Silent Songs

The magnificent Palladian Cloister hosts the exhibition’s central installation, a perfect balance of Renaissance architecture, mirrors, and movement created by Es Devlin. A monumental kinetic work that interacts with the water and surrounding architecture; slowly rotating in rhythm with the natural light, it reflects the Palladian arches, creating a hypnotic atmosphere enhanced by background music.

While along the cloister walls, 20 artworks reinterpret the cinematic motifs generated by the vibrations of the bells.

And after your visit, you can book a table at A Trattoria on an Island, the gastronomic offering curated by the Venetian restaurant Local on the island, to conclude your visit with authentic lagoon flavors masterfully reinterpreted in a contemporary way.

Homo Faber is an essential destination for anyone who loves Beauty.

Useful Info

Homo Faber
Giorgio Cini Foundation, Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice
Getting there: Vaporetto Line 2, “San Giorgio” stop from San Zaccaria or Santa Lucia Station
Ticket: €16