The fourth edition of the Homo Faber Biennial has opened on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice. It’s an international celebration of contemporary craftsmanship. The exhibition, subtitled An Island of Light, runs from September 1 to 30, 2026, at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. It presents more than 700 objects by over 500 artisans from 70 countries. These are spread across fifteen immersive installations created by artistic director Es Devlin.
An Island With a Heavy History
The Fondazione Giorgio Cini is based on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore. It carries a surprisingly heavy history. It was from here, in 1797, that Napoleon’s soldiers stole the famous painting The Wedding at Cana by Paolo Veronese. It still hangs in the Louvre today, far from its original home. The same site is now home to one of Italy’s leading cultural institutions. Founded in 1951, it has spent 75 years bringing together conservation, research, art, and science.
Who Is Es Devlin
British stage designer and artist Es Devlin is one of the most striking names in contemporary visual art. Her rotating installation Library of Light drew half a million visitors to Milan’s Salone del Mobile in 2025. She has designed kinetic stage sets for the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House, and La Scala. She has created public sculptures for the V&A Museum, Tate Modern, and Trafalgar Square. She has also collaborated with fashion houses including Gucci and Cartier. For Homo Faber, she has now created a concept built around light, water, mirrors, movement, and sound. It plunges visitors directly into the world of craftsmanship.
Devlin herself says she wants visitors to understand where the objects around them come from. She wants them to see the hands that made them, and the conditions in which they were made.
What You’ll See
This edition marks a significant shift from previous ones. As much as 85 percent of the artisans are exhibiting at Homo Faber for the first time. The show also includes An Atelier Alive, a recreation of a real craft studio. Master artisans work there live with porcelain, leather, paper, and textiles. In the installation A Rooted Ascent, woodworkers and weavers create live as well. They show how organic materials inspire their craft.
Interactive Programme
Visitors can join participatory workshops. These are dedicated to the Japanese crafts of kintsugi and hanko. They can also try origami, guided by Italian artist Giuseppe Romeo. Food is part of the experience too. The restaurant A Glasshouse Restaurant serves Venetian cuisine in a space built around a seven-metre glass table and a six-metre chandelier of artistic glass.
Every exhibiting artisan also stands a chance of winning one of the Homo Faber Awards. Visitors vote directly through the app by scanning a QR code beside each piece. Three winners will each receive €10,000 to support their careers.
Craftsmanship Across the City
The experience doesn’t end on the island. Throughout September, 130 Venetian craft workshops open their doors to the public. They’re all listed on the Homo Faber Guide platform. At Casa Sanlorenzo, the cultural home of the Italian yacht maker, the Homo Faber in Città programme runs alongside. It brings two further exhibitions dedicated to Venetian and Luxembourg craftsmanship.
Why This Matters Right Now
According to the leadership of the Michelangelo Foundation, the organisation behind Homo Faber, this edition arrives at a particularly significant moment. Technology today can generate images, imitate voices, and reproduce forms with astonishing efficiency. As a result, many of us are rediscovering a hunger for authenticity and deeply human values. We’re looking for traces of the human hand, of individuality, imperfection, and intention.
Where and When
Homo Faber 2026: An Island of Light, Fondazione Giorgio Cini, San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice. September 1–30, 2026. Tickets €16, booking at homofaber.com.
