Craftsmanship Takes Center Stage at Venice Biennale
Last week at the Venice Biennale, the art of craftsmanship took center stage as milliner Giuliana Longo showcased a hat sculpture made of natural agave while wearing gold earrings in the shape of hats. Longo, who has been working as a milliner since 1969, expressed her love for hats, stating that wearing a hat can transform a person into someone different.
The hat sculpture, adorned with 500 hand-stitched “pebbles,” was a tribute to the Tod’s Gommino driving shoe, a popular loafer known for its rubber pebbles on the bottom. Tod’s, an Italian leather goods and fashion company, enlisted 11 Venetian craftsmen to interpret the Gommino using their own tools and artistry. The works, created by Venetian glassblowers, mask makers, and other artisans, were showcased at a cocktail party on April 19.
One of the craftsmen involved in the project was Sara Menegazzo, whose family runs the last traditional goldbeating workshop in Venice. Together with Tod’s, they created a Gommino shoe and shoe box covered entirely in gold leaf, painstakingly beaten by hand with a heavy hammer. Another artisan, Roberto Beltrami, crafted a Gommino shoe entirely out of glass, showcasing his skill as a glassblower.
The Venetian project is part of Tod’s initiative, the Art of Craftsmanship, which aims to highlight the importance of handmade artistry. Diego Della Valle, the chairman of Tod’s, emphasized the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship, stating that artisans who work with their hands are “super-free” and expressing a hint of jealousy.
Outside the Biennale event, guests mingled near a red neon coil created by artist Federica Marangoni, enjoying Aperol spritzes and white wine as a live pianist played in the background. Celebrities like Adrien Brody and Kelly Rutherford rubbed shoulders with industry insiders, all coming together to celebrate the art of craftsmanship and handmade artistry.
