Homo Faber 2026: The future of handmade

At a time when AI bosses are making headlines, warning that their machines may become too powerful to control, Venice is a city of hope. With its quiet argument for handmade and human intelligence, be it at the Venice Biennale, Homo Faber or the zillion art and design shows across the city, it provides a winning case for where human agency should remain.

On the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, Homo Faber 2026 unfolds under British artist and scenographer Es Devlin’s keen direction, across workshops, cloisters, a labryinth, a mirrored hall and a swimming pool. It is a celebration of things made slowly and deliberately and by people who have spent years learning the craft.

British artist and scenographer Es Devlin | Photo Credit: Victor Picon