Arkadiusz Szwed is one of the most talented and inspiring ceramic artists of his generation in Europe. He designs handmade cast porcelain objects in unique shapes, colours and sizes that go beyond the accepted standards. His artistic journey started at the age of 15, but it wasn’t until 2007 that he decided to become a ceramic designer. At that time, he started working for his teacher, Marek Cecuła, in the Modus Design Studio in Kielce, where he developed his passion for plaster turning, modelling, slip casting and pottery. Since then, he has created various objects from futuristic vases, elegant tableware to the largest ceramic rosary in Poland. The artist explains that the core of his work is to experiment freely with the form and capture chaos into a specific mould. His pieces of work are admired from Reykjavik to Budapest.

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Have you ever wondered how porcelain objects are made? If you would like to know how you get from the start of an idea to the final piece, you can enrol on this ceramic design summer course and learn for yourself! During the course, your will learn about each of the stages of crafting porcelain objects and experience how real craftsmen work at the School of Form studio in Warsaw. No previous knowledge or experience with ceramics is required, both students and adults are welcome. The program includes all stages of production, related to working with gypsum, casting mass and glaze. The course will be conducted by Arkadiusz Szwed – the head of ceramic studio at School of Form and an acknowledged porcelain designer – and Isia Czartoryska-Wójcik, ceramic artist and assistant at the School of Form ceramic studio.

Ceramic design course

Summer ceramic class in Warsaw

Design and make your own porcelain vessel.

Design and make your own porcelain vessel

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This sculptural porcelain piece was created as the result of an experiment with a new, personal technique of porcelain casting. Wooden rollers are pushed under an elastic fabric, which is pulled over a plaster model, allowing the rollers to be moved around freely. This intervention randomly shapes the form. This technique allows the formation of moulds using a method similar to that provided by 3D printing tools, however it is fully analogue.

Skeleton

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This sculptural porcelain piece is part of a set of ceramic objects created as the result of an experiment with a new, personal technique of porcelain casting. As part of the process, plastic balls are pushed under an elastic fabric, which is pulled over a plaster model, allowing the balls to be moved around freely. This intervention randomly shapes the form. This technique allows the formation of moulds using a method similar to that provided by 3D printing tools.

Bumps 2.0

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This sculptural porcelain piece results from a mould casting made by drilling random holes into a plaster block. This destructive process introduces an element of randomness, which in a world of constant control and striving for perfection, allows us to see everyday objects in a different light. In the firmly established age of polarisation between perfection and imperfection, Arkadiusz Szwed searches for his own way to freely explore the possibilities of the material he works with.

Coral plate

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This white porcelain vase is part of Arkadiusz Szwed's continued research into form and structure. Arkadiusz uses non-obvious everyday objects to create the mould. This time, the objects of interest were balloons, which are used to make balloon animals, adored by children. As a result, the vase is organic in its form, evoking associations with the guts of an undefined living organism.

Guts vase

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This porcelain vase is part of Arkadiusz Szwed's continued research into form and structure. Arkadiusz uses non-obvious everyday objects to create a mould. This time, the objects of interest were balloons, which are used to make balloon animals, adored by children. As a result, the vase is organic in its form, evoking associations with the guts of an undefined living organism.

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Nowe Rzemioslo (Nów. New Craft Poland) brings together like-minded contemporary Polish craftspeople who are highly skilled and creative in their respective fields. The organisation discovers and represents artisans who make unique, high quality, handcrafted products using sustainable processes, whether in Kraków, Łódź, Poznań or Warsaw. Its aim is to spread awareness of contemporary Polish craft, promote it within the country and abroad, and represent the interests of artisans when dealing with public institutions.

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When Olga was studying in Denmark, during one of her walks on the beach, she found a piece of brick washed up by the sea. Its oval shape, designed by the force of water, made her think "Is this an object created by a man or by nature". She also realised "how old, and long-lasting ceramic craft is". Throughout her career she has supported endangered arts and crafts. In 2016, together with Irina Grishina, she opened August Design Studio. As a teacher at School of Form in Poznań she reminds her students that craftmanship comes with "collecting your own experience and making many mistakes on the way to find your own point of view".

Milczyńska, Olga

Cherishing ceramic heritage

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When he was a boy Robert Jehn-Olszewscy would play among the furnaces at his father's ceramic tile workshop, having fun pretending he was Bruce Lee punching piles of broken ceramic tiles. So there was little doubt he would later become a ceramicist himself. As a student in 1993 he continued working independently in his father’s workshop. Then he met Monika, when they both studied at the Warsaw University of Technology. Monika fell in love with Robert and ceramics at the same time. "We used to admire traditional folk craft," explains Robert. "What we observed is that in a pottery workshop there’s always family working together. That’s what we like most – just the two of us, working with our own hands."

Jehn-Olszewscy, Robert & Monika

Sharing their love for ceramics

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In Asian cultures, the tea ceremony is filled with mysticism and centuries-old traditions. Brewing tea is associated with harmony and peace. "In all the hustle of the world it is such a good time to sit down and do something that is so focused on the activity itself" – says Andrzej Bero who became involved with ceramics over 20 years ago. In the 90s he followed ceramic classes for two years at People’s University in Turno, and soon after joined one of the oldest Polish ceramic groups – KERAMOS. Although from the beginning he was interested in teaware, meeting people who deal with tea had a big impact on his work: "So far, I have just made teapots. But now I think about form and size, the way they are decorated or glazed, all this matters. I have devoted myself completely to it."

Bero, Andrzej

The teaware maker

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Monika Patuszyńska was introduced to ceramics in the early 90s during a one-year course for artisans in Denmark: “I always warn people who want to work with ceramics to think it over. It is a trap that once you fall into; it's very difficult to get out. I haven't got out of it since,” she says.  What distinguishes Monika’s making process is her approach to the material. A traditional technique of casting (often used in industrial production) became a way for endless expression. “I assumed that plaster and porcelain are not smooth. They were made smooth by man to create the impression that he had subordinated all elements to himself. So I started looking for the nature of the materials, showing casting marks and splitting the plaster to reveal its internal structure,” she explains of her creative process.

Patuszynska, Monika

An inquistive approach

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Developed in partnership with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and made possible by the support of Cartier, Homo Faber in Città gives you a rare chance to visit over 70 artisan workshops. The project is developed in collaboration with Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Confartigianato Imprese Venezia, CNA Venezia, Consorzio Promovetro Murano, The Venice Glass Week and Venezia da Vivere.

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Step inside the workshops and ateliers to learn the secrets of local master artisans and manufacturers

Try your hand at different crafts with an authentic experience

Marvel at examples of fine craftsmanship by doing our itineraries

This september, the second edition of Homo Faber in Città invites visitors to step off the beaten track and discover the artisanal addresses where Venetian craftspeople create objects of exquisite beauty. A rare opportunity to witness Venice’s master artisans and young talents demonstrating their crafts and presenting the tools, materials and skills involved in contemporary Venetian craftsmanship.

Enrich your experience beyond Homo Faber 2024: The Journey of Life

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Homo Faber Guide is an online portal dedicated to contemporary craftsmanship, showcasing artisans, ateliers, museums, galleries, shops and experiences. Create your user account for access to exclusive features on Homo Faber Guide: save your preferred pages, hear about hot topics first, leave recommendations for your favourite artisans and much more.

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Although the Michelangelo Foundation researches the talents for its projects autonomously, collaboration with our ambassadors is fundamental. Over 120 associations, schools and institutions allow us to map the continents for craftsmanship and to have partners in each country who share our vision and goals. In addition, we have asked well-known personalities in the craft, design and art world to be our ambassadors in the cities where they live, so that their recommendations can offer a unique insight into craftsmanship in the major cities of Europe and beyond.

Who are our ambassadors?

Download our free Homo Faber Guide app (iOS and Android) to discover artisans, museums, galleries, shops, and experiences by location. Search Homo Faber on the App store on your mobile device.

Find craftsmanship destinations on the go

Discover the addresses of esteemed manufacturers, well known for producing high quality objects across a wide variety of crafts. Read their stories and find out where you can shop their contemporary pieces, see their archive collections and even in some cases visit their workshops. Find exceptional ateliers where artisans collaborate creatively to create fine pieces of craftsmanship. Reach out to them to commission something special.

Ateliers & Manufacturers

All the artisans and small workshops featured in Homo Faber Guide have been carefully researched and selected. They are presented and narrated through a selection of images and an interview, which allows readers to immerse themselves in the universe of these makers who exemplify excellence in their individual fields or are promising talents of the future. Find masters and rising stars who share the same passion and determination, and whose workshops are ready to share their secrets with visitors.

A selection of the best artisans

Are you eager to discover a city through craftsmanship? Do you wish to spend a few hours visiting an applied arts museum or attending a course on a craft with one of the masters featured in Homo Faber Guide? Browse the section dedicated to experiences and find your next adventure.

Experiences

An expert artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years. He or she may also be engaged in passing on their knowledge to the next generations, but they have been doing so for less than seven years. Beyond this, they will become a Master artisan.

Who is an Expert artisan?

Homo Faber Guide provides you with a selection of the best addresses across Europe and further afield, where you will be able to discover and purchase exceptional objects, some of which are created by artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide.

Galleries

Homo Faber Guide is an online platform dedicated to craftsmanship that allows you to discover artisans and their masterpieces; explore museums, visit galleries and shops selling unique objects; enjoy experiences in cities across Europe and beyond.

Homo Faber Guide is a signature project developed by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, an international non-profit organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, which was set up in 2016 thanks to the intuition of Franco Cologni and Johann Rupert. The Michelangelo Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and preserve master craftsmanship, and for this reason it has created a map of the most significant representatives in this field, with the aim of connecting all its protagonists: artisans, designers, gallery owners, art curators, collectors and enthusiasts of high-quality handmade pieces.

About the Guide

Are you an artisan, atelier or manufacturer? Would you like to be featured in Homo Faber Guide? The Michelangelo Foundation encourages self-assessment initiatives and is pleased to evaluate new members to appear on the Guide or in other projects. Thanks to the Master’s Touch Evaluation Tool, every artisan can send their application: register and access a questionnaire to see if you fulfill the 11 criteria for excellence that stand behind all the activities of the Michelangelo Foundation. If your answers reach the minimum requirement, your application will be brought to our attention; if, on the contrary, you should score below the minimum requirement, we will give you some points for improvement, in the hope that you may participate in future initiatives of the Michelangelo Foundation.

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Our artisan labels

A master artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years, and who has also been engaged in passing on his or her expertise to the younger generations for more than seven years. This is in keeping with one of the key values of the Michelangelo Foundation: the transmission of knowledge in craftsmanship.

Who is a Master artisan?

Find museums handpicked for their links to contemporary craftsmanship and the exquisite collections they have on display. In each city, discover a museum of interest and organise your visit. From Italian museums displaying coral collections, glass pieces and ceramics to decorative art museums in Russia and Greece, marvel at the variety of museums exhibiting masterpieces, showcasing techniques and recounting histories.

Museums

A rising star is an artisan who has been active for less than ten years, and who is capable of expressing his or her craft with competence, creativity and originality. Whether self-taught or trained, the rising star represents the future of craftsmanship, in creativity, concerns and approaches.

Who is a Rising star?

The artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide have been selected through a meticulous assessment process based on the 11 criteria for excellence, identified by Alberto Cavalli, Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation, in the volume The Master’s Touch, written with researchers Giuditta Comerci and Giovanna Marchello. The members of the Michelangelo Foundation’s network who have been invited to participate in sourcing artisans for the Guide use an evaluation tool based on these criteria. In this way, they can identify the most suitable artisans to include in the project.

Simple rules for a transparent selection

In which city does the artisan work?

In which country does the artisan practise?

What craft does the artisan practise?

What is the artisan’s Instagram page?

What is the name of the artisan you are recommending?

Does the artisan have a website?

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