This September, Venice becomes a celebration of high craftmanship. At the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Homo Faber 2026 brings together the finest contemporary craftsmanship from around the world, while JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa offers a private-island retreat from which to experience the city’s most anticipated celebration of making.
From September 1 to 30, Homo Faber 2026 returns to the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on San Giorgio Maggiore, transforming the island into a stage for contemporary craftsmanship. Titled “An Island of Light,” the fourth edition of the international exhibition is curated under the artistic direction of British artist and designer Es Devlin, whose work is known for turning spaces into immersive experiences.
This year, light becomes the metaphor through which craftsmanship is explored. Across 15 immersive installations, more than 700 objects by artisans from over 70 countries create a global portrait of contemporary making — from ancient techniques preserved through generations to experimental practices pushing materials into new territory.
Es Devlin, Artistic Director of this edition, has collaborated with master artisans throughout her 30-year career and has a deep respect for craftsmanship. For Homo Faber 2026 she has created a concept that showcases the skills and talents of craft artists selected from around the globe by framing their work with light, a primordial force that is not only at the heart of Devlin’s artistic practice but is also essential to craft, to raw materials and to human life. The enhancement of human talent through the highlighting – both real and metaphorical – of artisanal and creative work is perfectly aligned with the mission of the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, a non-profit organisation based in Geneva that launched and implemented the cultural movement Homo Faber to promote master craftsmanship and creativity globally, celebrate its protagonists and increase their visibility.
Yet the true luxury of Homo Faber lies not simply in the objects themselves. It is in the time behind them. In a culture increasingly accustomed to instant gratification, craftsmanship represents something almost radical: patience. A ceramic vessel, a piece of glass, a jewel, a textile or a sculptural object can carry within it years of learning and a lineage of knowledge that cannot be accelerated. Live demonstrations, workshops and encounters with makers allow visitors to witness the gestures, concentration and expertise behind the finished work. The result is less a conventional exhibition than an invitation to enter the world of those who still believe that the hand can be an instrument of innovation.
The title, “An Island of Light,” also speaks directly to Venice. Each artisan becomes a singular island of knowledge, while together they form an international archipelago of creativity. It is an idea that feels particularly appropriate in a city whose identity has always been shaped by water, isolation and exchange.
The experience extends beyond San Giorgio Maggiore through Homo Faber in Città, bringing craftsmanship into workshops and cultural spaces throughout Venice. The city itself becomes part of the exhibition, encouraging visitors to discover the artisans and traditions hidden behind its spectacular façade.
More info: https://www.homofaber.com/en
JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa: the perfect spot to enjoy the exhibition
There is an equally compelling way to experience Homo Faber: by making the exhibition part of a longer Venetian escape. On the Isola delle Rose, just a short boat ride from the historic centre, JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa offers a distinctly different interpretation of the city. Set within extensive private gardens overlooking the lagoon, the resort provides the rare luxury of space, greenery and silence, a counterpoint to the intensity of Venice in September.
Located on the Isola delle Rose, a private island in Venice, with Piazza San Marco easily accessible via a complimentary shuttle, the JW Marriott Venice Resort & Spa offers the ultimate luxury experience for the most discerning travelers. The combination of expansive, lush green areas and a refined restoration by renowned architect Matteo Thun, along with attentive service and the finest culinary and wellness experiences, makes Isola delle Rose a serene retreat from which to effortlessly explore the beauty of Venice without sacrificing the luxury of a resort. The resort features 266 rooms and elegant suites, restaurants and bars offering both international and local cuisine, the JW Venice Spa, a deconsecrated church for spectacular events, kids’ clubs and family activities, water sports, a rooftop lounge with a pool and views over Venice. The JW Venice Spa extends over 1,750 sqm within elegant early‐20th‐century buildings and offers eight treatment rooms overlooking the lagoon, a wonderful suite, a sauna and bio‐sauna, a hammam and a magnificent heated indoor pool that flows outdoors through a sequence of sliding glass walls. A true oasis of relaxation to recharge after a day spent around Venice.
For the duration of Homo Faber, the resort has created a dedicated Homo Faber Discovery Package, available for stays from September 1 to 30, 2026.
Link : https://www.marriott.com/it/offers/homo-faber-discovery-package-off-232865/vcejw-jw-marriott-venice-resort-and-spa
The experience goes beyond simply including admission to the exhibition. Guests are welcomed by a member of the Homo Faber curatorial team and accompanied on a guided visit with a Young Ambassador, selected according to their interests. The programme also includes an encounter with a member of the curatorial team, lunch at the exhibition’s fine-dining restaurant with wine or non-alcoholic pairing, and a craft-inspired gift bag.
It is an approach that feels particularly suited to contemporary luxury travel: rather than simply offering access, the hotel creates context.
After a day immersed in the work of international makers, the journey back across the lagoon leads to the quiet of the Isola delle Rose. Here, the pace changes. Gardens replace exhibition halls; the lagoon replaces the crowded streets; the experience of looking gives way to the pleasure of simply being.
It is also where the connection between Homo Faber and the JW Marriott becomes most interesting. Both are, in different ways, celebrations of craft, place and time. One explores what human hands can create; the other offers a setting in which to slow down and appreciate it.
And perhaps that is the most contemporary way to experience Venice today: not as a destination to be consumed, but as a place to be observed more slowly.
This September, Homo Faber offers the hands, while the Isola delle Rose offers the pause. Between the two lies another, quieter Venice — one made of light, water, craftsmanship and time.
