Visiting the Homo Faber 2024 Biennal: an exhibition where the editorial team of Artzan explored the craftsmanship behind luxury objects through life’s most precious moments. Artzan is a new Startup that promotes workshops and events dedicated to craftsmanship in Italy.
In the stunning rooms of Fondazione Giorgio Cini in Venice, crossing its rich gardens, we had the chance to admire different masterpieces and techniques from all over the world. The exhibition, titled The Journey of Life – under the Art Direction of Italian Oscar-winning film director and producer Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini, and the supervision of its curator Alberto Cavalli – is divided in ten rooms that express the different stages of human life. For every room Artzan has selected the best handcrafted object in the room.
1
Birth
The first space you’ll visit entering the beautiful gardens of palazzo Cini is the patio. After crossing a green labyrinth, in the center you’ll find the traditional Italian “cipressi” and a path that passes around the patio showcasing different embroidery techniques from all over the world. Don’t miss the three Armenian panels: a wonderful and colorful expression of their traditional embroidery technique.
2
Childhood
The first room is dedicated to childhood, the most exciting age, in which fantasy takes its free paths through children’s minds. In this room you will find creative doll houses, illusion games, flipper machines and puppets in ceramic, fabric, rug and other materials. The doll house of Susie Rogers and Kevin Mulvany is impressive for the details. It’s a reproduction of a 18th century living room, where the light expresses the exact atmosphere of an old living room rotten by time and history.
3
Celebration
In the magnificent dining room of Palazzo Cini you’ll find an elegant and rich celebration table, where some of the most precious pieces of table ware objects are located. Under a copy of the famous painting of Veronese The wedding at Cana (1562–1563) – the original version was brought to Paris by Napoleon and is now located at the Louvre – you can see some masterpieces in glass, ceramic and silver. Our favorite? The plates of Laboratorio Paravicini.
4
Inheritance
In the passage from one room to another there is a special space in which some traditional objects are exposed. Under the ceiling, where some videos of old craftsman hands are projected, you will be able to explore different ancient techniques. From China to Japan, from Italy to Taiwan, the goal is to celebrate the different stories of inheritance that live along with these old craft traditions.
5
Love
Two rooms are dedicated to love, but it was like there was a need to be more of them. In this beautiful pink environment jewelries, vases, wooden furniture and closets met in an incredible atmosphere, where the different objects came together in their elegance and flair. We absolutely loved the vases in this room. Have a look at Hye-Jeong Ko from South Korea, Annick Petersen from the UK, and Maxwell Mustardo and Heidi Tarver from the US.
6
Journeys
The room of journeys is located near the bar and restaurant. Here you can explore handcrafted globes and world maps, sculptures of mountain landscapes and reproductions of big post marks. In an atmosphere that brings you back in time, through the centuries of the first colonial world explorations, Charlotte Bourrus detailed and colourful world map reminds us of how every continent is unique in its own way.
7
Nature
In the beautiful “serra” of the garden you will explore the use of natural materials, from wicker baskets to clay and glass, up to the diamonds of the stand of Cartier. The statue of Ayako Hirogaki from the US, has an evident Japanese influence and was our favorite in the room. But also the gigantic baskets from Africa gave you the impression to be in touch with ancient techniques that have to be preserved.
8
Dreams
The room dedicated to dreams explores the unconsciousness and the mask as a symbol of it. Here you’ll find different masks revealing techniques and subjects, from mechanical animals to robots and cultural references to particular hats and veils, the head and the body are the protagonists of this particular journey. Our favorite? Georges Ayusawa Lion mask.
9
Dialogues
In the rooms dedicated to the topic of dialogue, different objects and artisans meet to show their art and craft abilities. Here you can participate to workshops meeting artisans from all over the world and especially Europe. The embroidery Workshop of the artist LE19M is absolutely stunning!
10
Afterlife
The paper sculpture of Hsin Hsin Joss from Taiwan was an extraordinary piece. Located in the last room, dedicated to afterlife, it was an explosion of colors on different kinds of paper. The journey of life has ended with this beautiful incursion in the different traditions of afterlife, and we could finally enjoy a venetian “Select Spritz” on the shores of the Venetian Laguna!