Next of Europe

A celebration of European excellence

Journey through a continent of craftsmanship

Discover the richness of Europe’s crafts heritage through this celebration of contemporary master artisans who are not only creating objects of exception but also passing on their precious skills to talented young craftspeople. These European 'living treasures', represented by their unique artworks, hail from every corner of Europe and use techniques passed down from generation to generation which are inextricably linked to the region they live in. Marvel at these exquisite objects and see first-hand how many of them were created, thanks to demonstrations by selected artisans working live in the room.

Travel from Poland to France to Italy to Wales in one room as more than 150 of artworks, displayed as though in a contemporary cabinet of curiosities, reveal the breadth and depth of talent and skill among craftspeople working in Europe today. Discover a British artisan making artworks from seashells, a Parisian master upcycling plastic waste into delicate flowers, as well as featherwork from Italy, metal objects from Georgia and beautiful works made of alabaster from Luxembourg. Together, these carefully selected pieces showcase the richness of materials and expertise deriving from different countries and regions, where individual identities and age-old traditions give rise to unique contemporary works.

The ‘next’ masters of Europe

What all the artisans whose work is displayed have in common is a commitment to passing on their expertise to the next generation. Visitors can witness this exchange of knowledge in action as masters and their apprentices work live on site, demonstrating the skills that turn simple materials into works of exquisite beauty, and the training methods that ensure the future of their craft. Discover how the hands and the mind come together to create astonishing objects, and understand how the passing down of skills from master to apprentice ensures this beauty will endure for generations to come.

Curated by

Jean Blanchaert
Jean Blanchaert is a Belgian-Italian gallerist, antiquarian and artist. For the past 30 years he has run his family’s Milan gallery, which specialises in glass, ceramics, enamel and contemporary materials. He has curated numerous exhibitions and writes about design for the monthly Art e Dossier and other publications. He is also a talented illustrator, calligrapher and glass sculptor in his own right. He has illustrated for children’s books, newspapers, cultural initiatives and theatre projects, and his work has been exhibited in Milan several times.
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Stefano Boeri
Italian architect and urban planner Stefano Boeri is one of the world’s leaders in his field. A professor of urban planning at the Politenico in Milan, he has also been a guest professor at universities around the world including Harvard Graduate School of Design in the US. He founded a studio in Milan in 1999 and later opened a second in Shanghai. He has authored many books and is the former editor-in-chief of the magazines Domus and Abitare. In 2018 he was appointed chairman of the Triennale Milano.
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