Homo Faber in Città 2024

In our last blog article, we shared our experience at Homo Faber 2024. 

Today, we want to focus on what is happening beyond the spaces of Fondazione Giorgio Cini, between the alleyways and canals of Venice. 

Homo Faber in Città is the program The Michelangelo Foundation developed in partnership with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d'Arte: it is an invitation to explore the workshops of local craftswomen and craftsmen in Venice. Over 70 artisans have prepared themselves to welcome anyone interested in learning more about their work, allowing them to glimpse behind the scenes, touch first-hand tools and materials, and witness their mastery in bringing to life their creations. The itineraries, which can be found in the Homo Faber App and website, propose walks through Venice that let you explore a great mix of techniques. It’s no surprise that many artisans you will encounter along your journey are also part of Venice Original. Let us take a closer look at the artisans from the Venice Original network whose remarkable work is highlighted in the In Città guide.

Taking you across several sestieri to the island of Giudecca, we suggest you start the Central Venice itinerary from the heart of Venice: Rialto Bridge. Here, underneath the Sotoportego dei Oresi, you will meet the Attombri brothers’ workshop. Using glass beads, copper, and precious metals, Daniele and Stefano create unique contemporary design pieces for wear and the home. You might have already seen their creations at fashion shows all around the world alongside important couture houses. 

Heading towards the Rialto Market, you will find Bottega Orafa ABC, where goldsmith Andrea D’Agostino creates customized jewelry, with traditional and modern lines. He has mastered the Japanese technique of Mokume Gane, a complex procedure that conveys precious metals the appearance of wood grain. 

Going a little down north, you will also find the goldsmith studio of Marco Venier and Davide Visentin. At Laberitho, materials are selected for their uniqueness and beauty, resulting in extraordinary combinations such as ancient seals paired with geometric shapes, diamonds with ebony, and turquoise with fossil agate. 

We suggest you walk to the beautiful Campo San Giacomo dell’Orio, one of the most authentic in Venice, usually crowded with kids playing and people sitting on the iconic red benches, perhaps having an ice cream. We invite you to stroll along the beautiful Rio Marin, where you will pass by a beautifully adorned window of colors and patterns. In her atelier Paperoowl, Stefania Giannici transforms papers that she selects from around the world into unique creations: from earrings and collars to the “Venice in a box” series and beautiful paper boxes. 

Going toward the Scuola Grande San Giovanni Evangelista, you will be able to enter a typical Venetian palace. On its ground floor, you will find the workshop of Anna Campagnari, where thanks to her extensive rowing experience and artistic skillset, she creates gonfalons, flags, and hand-decorated furlane.

Passing by the Scuola Grande di San Rocco and continuing towards the majestic Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, you will encounter Cartería ai Frari, where Elisabetta Casaburi transforms handmade paper into precious notebooks, photo albums, and accessories, drawing inspiration from the city’s symbols and architectural details. 

A little further down, in front of the main entrance of the Università Ca’Foscari Venezia, you will find a corner workshop, inviting you in with a window of vivid colors. Here, Paolo Olbi will introduce you to the unique art of bookbinding, created with antique machines and top-quality materials. Looking at his series of notebooks, photo albums, and briefs, you will notice patterns from Liberty, Byzantine, and Italian styles. 

A stone’s throw away, you will find Ca’Macana, a papier-mâché workshop founded in 1986. Here, Davide Belloni and Antonella Masnata, together with their son Davide, craft masks from the tradition as well as modern designs and bespoke works for movie productions. 

Going towards the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and passing through the Gallerie dell’Accademia, you must pay a visit to Marisa Convento. With Venetian Dreams, Marisa carries forward the rich tradition of the impiraresse (bead stringers), creating beautiful bead accessories to wear. Feel free to ask any bead-related question: she will answer with kindness and patience, exuding all her passion for this craft. 

Just a few minutes away, you will find the wood-scented workshop of Saverio Pastor, one of the last remer (oarlock maker) in Venice. Here saverio carves fòrcolas and oars out of fine wood with expertise. A skill that he inherited from one of the greatest masters of this craft. Even if you don’t row, fòrcolas make great elegant home decor pieces that tell the story of Venice's origins. 

Some hundred meters away, you will find the Traghetto Dogana, a gondola service that will allow you to cross the Gran Canal. Before leaving this side of Venice, we suggest paying a visit to the Basilica Santa Maria della Salute. The Traghetto will disembark you just a few steps from San Marco Square: a perfect place to take a break, perhaps enjoying some coffee and a snack sitting at one of the oldest coffee houses in the world. 

The itinerary goes on, towards Campo Santa Maria Formosa: stop when you see on your left the brand new workshop of Davide Pusiol. In this lute store you will find unique and handcrafted guitars: Davide and his team are dedicated to the construction of customized instruments, using top-quality woods and hardware. 

Arriving in the Campo, to the left, you will find the workshop Meracu. Here, Shanti Ganesha crafts minimalist leather accessories, bags, and even home decor pieces. She draws inspiration from her travels and is committed to sustainability:  the leather is ethically sourced and naturally tanned using natural, non-harmful tannins.  

Heading towards Barbaria de le Tole, you will pass by the famous Acqua Alta bookstore, and glimpse at the elegant Campo Santi Giovanni e Paolo. Find the workshop Artefact Mosaic where you will see Venice’s mosaicist tradition in action. Alessandra Di Gennaro and Romuald Mesdagh make custom decorations, embellish rooms of all kinds, and organize seminars to bring people closer to the art of contemporary mosaics. 

While walking to the following leg, we suggest visiting the church of San Francesco della Vigna, with its picturesque Cloister, the Arsenale, and walking for a while along the bank soaking up the views of the San Marco basin. Eventually, you will arrive at the only “Via” of Venice: Via Garibaldi. Here, find Guido Capitanio’s workshop. Guido is a self-taught guitarist, crafting handmade guitars from precious woods and hardware, taking example from the masters in the field of violin making. He puts great care in the selection of his suppliers, looking for the best quality in all elements. 

A little further down this Via, you will find Kirumakata. In her atelier, Alessandra Gardin creates contemporary handmade Murano glass jewelry with the lampworking technique, finding inspiration in the natural world.

To get to the last leg of the itinerary, one can decide to take the “Vaporetto” (water bus) from the Arsenale stop and reach Giudecca Palanca stop, where an incredible view of Venice’s Zattere will await. Head towards the former Convento Santissimi Cosma e Damiano, and find among the many artisans hosted here, Itaca Art Studio. Monica Martin will welcome you and show you what it is like to be an engraver. Paper, cardboard, metals, inks, canvases, colors, clay, glass, and enamels all come together thanks to her skills, passion, and dedication to these crafts. 

Throughout our visits to these passionate artisans, we have witnessed the devotion that fuels their work. The passion gleams in their eyes, and their meticulous processes shine a light on the age-old techniques they cherish. Facing modern pressures and a fast-paced world, these artisans are ambassadors of cultural heritage, standing resiliently against the tide of mass production. Projects like Homo Faber and Venice Original advocate for the preservation of these crafts, conscious that we must keep traditional skills relevant, ensuring they evolve and flourish amidst change.

As we celebrate craftsmanship, let us all become advocates for the artisans whose work enriches our lives, ensuring that the vibrant legacy and cultural fabric of Venice flourishes for generations to come. 

We encourage readers to connect with the artisans, explore the workshops, and discover how each handcrafted piece echoes a legacy worth preserving.