Last spring we received an exciting contact: the Michelangelo Foundation wanted to present Nanna Salmi on its Homo Faber Guide. The foundation wants to raise the appreciation of craftsmanship and support those who do it best: exceptional modern-day artisans who continue to use traditional methods, skill and knowledge to produce beautiful objects of lasting value.
The criterias for joining are tough:
"All the master craftsmen we support have one thing in common – they represent the top of their field."
One of the foundation's criterias is the innovativeness of the final product. For them it means e.g. the craftsman's ability to change and apply something already existing by adding new elements to it. In addition to innovation, the foundation requires e.g. excellence, talent and originality.
The weaving technique used by Nanna is ancient, but using horsehair as a material and combining the woven ribbon with valuable metals and stones is something new and unique.
"Rarely does a craftsman create something completely new and unique. I'm lucky, often it's a sum of coincidences, so it is in my case, too."
"Goldsmith Marjut Viitanen has been an invaluable part of a process when designing jewellery models. Combining woven ribbon and precious metals is not simple. It has also required her expertise and skills to make experiments and refining the models. The usability of the jewellery is very important."
"The most important thing to me is that my customers like the jewellery and especially the fact that they mean so much to them. However, it's great and heartwarming also to be appreciated by goldsmith and design circles, even though I don't work as a goldsmith myself."
See the introduction on the guide:
Homo Faber is presented by the Michelangelo Foundation for creativity and craftsmanship.
"Homo Faber is a cultural movement centred on creative artisans. It' s signature projects are education programmes for the next generations, an international biennal celebration and an online guide."
Read more:
"We are named after a beacon in this field, Michelangelo, a visionary artist and master artisan who embodied both creativity and craftsmanship at the very highest level of excellence."
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