From September 1 to 30, Homo Faber brings together more than 500 artisans from over 70 countries in Venice. As the event’s transportation partner, Harsch coordinated the international shipment of the 20 panels for the “Twenty Silent Songs” installation.
Homo Faber 2026 : An Island of Light. © Michelangelo Foundation
September 1–30, 2026 | Fondazione Giorgio Cini | Venice
The island of San Giorgio Maggiore and the Fondazione Giorgio Cini. © Matteo De Fina, courtesy of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini
An Island of Light Dedicated to Craftsmanship
Just a few minutes from St. Mark’s Square, the island of San Giorgio Maggiore is hosting the fourth edition of the Homo Faber Biennale. Presented by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship in the historic spaces of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, the event celebrates the vitality of contemporary craftsmanship through September 30. More than 500 artisans, 700 objects, and over 70 countries are represented.
Titled “An Island of Light,” the 2026 edition explores the fundamental relationship between light, materials, and the hand that shapes them. Artistic direction has been entrusted to British artist and designer Es Devlin. Her exhibition features 15 immersive installations, spread across the historic buildings, gardens, and more unexpected spaces of the former abbey. Water, mirrors, movement, shadows, music, and shifting light transform the visit into a sensory experience in which each room opens up a new world.
The Gandini Pool Transformed by the Set Design of “An Island of Light”. © Es Devlin Studio
Es Devlin, Artistic Director of Homo Faber 2026. © Victor Picon
The exhibition design reveals the techniques, tools, materials, and human stories behind each creation. In the galleries, young docents from around the world guide visitors. Trained in the world of artisans and their works, they provide insights without imposing their presence. This unobtrusive approach makes the exhibition accessible and deeply human.
Twenty works, twenty areas of expertise, one destination
Harsch took part in this international adventure by transporting the 20 panels that make up “Twenty Silent Songs,” one of the major installations along the route. Displayed around the Cloister of the Cypresses, these works recreate the cymatic patterns produced by the vibrations of the 20 bells of the Basilica of San Giorgio. In this way, they create a dialogue between the silence of the cloister, the memory of the place, and the invisible vibration of sound.
Each panel was created by a different artisan, in a different country, using a unique craft. From textile weaving and straw marquetry to woodcarving, embroidery, paper, mosaic, and stained glass: a single composition conceived by Es Devlin is interpreted through a wide variety of materials, cultures, and techniques.
Before coming together as a whole, the 20 panels were scattered across the globe. Harsch coordinated their collection from the various artisans and partners, then their transport to Geneva. This central hub made it possible to bring the works together before their joint departure for Italy, where Harsch’s teams ensured their delivery for the exhibition.
Behind this simple statement lies a demanding operation: aligning multiple origins, contacts, and schedules, all while taking into account the nature of each artwork. Paper, silk, feathers, and stained glass require neither the same protection nor the same precautions. Each step had to be planned individually and synchronized with the exhibition’s schedule.
This project illustrates the role of a specialized carrier: building a seamless logistics chain around unique objects. International coordination, customized packaging, tracking of shipments, handling of formalities, and strict adherence to deadlines ensure that the works arrive together at their destination, in the expected condition.
From Logistics to Exploring the Exhibition
The Harsch team in Venice: Anastasia Crausaz at the immersive exhibition and Isabelle Harsch at Casa Sanlorenzo. Photos: Harsch
Once the installation was complete, Isabelle Harsch, CEO of Harsch, and Anastasia Crausaz traveled to Venice to see the exhibition. Their visit brought months of preparation to life: the panels, which had been collected from around the world, now stand side by side in the cloister, brought together by the exhibition design and lighting.
The exploration continued in the other spaces of the Fondazione Giorgio Cini, and then through the Homo Faber in Città program. At Casa Sanlorenzo, two exhibitions complement the main exhibition and highlight, in particular, the master artisans of Venice and the Veneto region. This extension into the city serves as a reminder that Homo Faber is not just an exhibition, but an invitation to view craftsmanship, workshops, and the people who bring them to life in a new light.
For Harsch, participating in Homo Faber 2026 as a transportation partner means working behind the scenes of an event that shares the same mission: to preserve, promote, and pass on exceptional craftsmanship. As visitors explore the 15 installations of “An Island of Light,” the logistics naturally fade into the background behind the works of art. This is precisely the sign that the mission has been accomplished.
Homo Faber 2026, “An Island of Light,” will take place from September 1 to 30, 2026, at the Fondazione Giorgio Cini on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice.