The Cinematic Wonder of Homo Faber 2024

The Journey of Life is the title of the 2024 edition of Homo Faber, the exhibition curated by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftmanship, that tells the story behind the scenes of luxury craftsmanship, unfolding in the evocative spaces of the Giorgio Cini Foundation.
This year, from 1 to 30 September, yen themed exhibitions staged by Art Directors Luca Guadagnino and Nicolò Rosmarini convey craftsmanship’s relationship to human lives, featuring more than 800 objects by over 400 artisans from 70 countries around the world, representing 105 different crafts. In addition there will be again live demonstrations of the work of independent artisans and prestigious maisons such as Cartier or Buccellati, who will bring tools and masters to work side by side to show the public the magical dance of the hands that create wonderful objects.



Cartier Live Demo, ph. Nicolò Zanatta © Michelangelo Foundation

Finally unveiled, the extraordinary scenography staged throughout the magnificent indoor and outdoor spaces of Fondazione Giorgio Cini leads visitors on a metaphorical journey through a human life, from birth to the afterlife. Drawing on his deep fascination with the art of making, along with his immense creative capacity, whether as a filmmaker or designer, Luca Guadagnino (A Bigger Splash, Call Me By Your Name) has teamed up with Milanese architect Nicolò Rosmarini to create an enchanting experience that is by turns whimsical and profound.

Nature, ph. Giulio Ghirardi © Michelangelo Foundation

The journey begins at a playful ticket office, where visitors take their first steps onto a colourful passerella that winds through the gardens and links each exhibition space. A cohesive narrative thread is created with the help of recurrent motifs: mirrors, which reflect the island’s natural surroundings and enhance the power of the sun; and pleated fabric walls, an homage to Guadagnino’s hero, the Venetian-born designer Carlo Scarpa.



De Gournay Birth, ph. Alessandra Chemollo © Michelangelo Foundation

Along the way, visitors will encounter, among other things, a pair of 12m-high papier mâché cypress trees, a dream-like reimagining of the Cini’s former swimming pool, and a forest of chandeliers descending from the ceiling of the Sala degli Arazzi. In all, this elegant, timeless vision invites visitors to appreciate the democracy of creativity and the poetry of impermanence as they explore an island filled with beauty by talented craftspeople.



Childhood, ph. Giulio Ghirardi © Michelangelo Foundation

Luca Guadagnino said: “My job has always been to find a way to tell a story within the coordinates that I’m given. This amazing and very streamlined and universal concept of the Journey of Life really led us to understand how to envelope the audience through the amazing architecture of the Fondazione Cini so that the craft on display was not going to be overwhelmed but at the same time the place itself was given a lot of relevance. It has been a tremendous experience of reflection on many of the great inspirations that have led our ideas, from Carlo Scarpa to the memory and history of Venice as a city of art.”



Alaïa Dreams, ph. Alessandra Chemollo © Michelangelo Foundation

A daily program of live demonstrations, public workshops and gastronomic experiences allows everyone to create a tailor-made experience according to their interests, including special encounters, culinary traditions and participatory workshops.



Cicchetteria Via Arno, ph. Alessandra Chemollo © Michelangelo Foundation

Full program on thel website of Homo Faber.