Photography by Manfredi Gioacchini & Tobias Kempe
Inside Ca’ Riflesso: Artemest Celebrates the Art of Venetian Craftsmanship
EVENTS
This September, Venice becomes the setting for a celebration of Italian craftsmanship as Artemest unveils Ca’ Riflesso, an immersive Venetian house created for Homo Faber in Città 2026.
Presented at Casa Sanlorenzo in the city’s Dorsoduro district, Ca’ Riflesso takes its name from Ca’, the Venetian word for home, and Riflesso, the Italian word for reflection. Rather than approaching craftsmanship as a conventional exhibition, Artemest has transformed the historic residence into the imagined home of a collector, bringing together furniture, lighting, decorative objects and artworks from more than 50 Italian artisans and brands.
Under the creative direction of Artemest Co-Founder and Creative Director Ippolita Rostagno, the installation explores the relationship between traditional making and contemporary design. Objects are presented as though they belong within the home, creating rooms that feel collected over time rather than staged for display. It is an approach that places craftsmanship firmly within everyday life, surrounded by memory, atmosphere and the rituals of the home.
A Venetian Story of Light and Craft
Light sits at the heart of the experience. Across Venice, reflections constantly shift between its architecture and waterways, and Ca’ Riflesso brings this characteristic indoors. The concept also responds to the wider theme of Homo Faber 2026: An Island of Light, which explores the relationship between light, materials and the human hand.
The setting itself adds another layer to the story. Casa Sanlorenzo occupies a late-1940s former private residence close to Punta della Dogana and the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute. Restored by Piero Lissoni’s studio, the building retains elements of its history while introducing a contemporary sense of clarity and light.
Throughout its rooms, Murano glass sits alongside handcrafted furniture, sculptural lighting, textiles and decorative objects, creating a rich portrait of the skills and materials associated with the region. Historic Venetian names appear alongside contemporary makers, with participants including Venini, NasonMoretti, WonderGlass, Simone Crestani, Mingardo, Glas Italia, Tessitura Bevilacqua and many more. The curtains throughout the installation are created using fabrics from historic Venetian textile house Rubelli.
What makes Ca’ Riflesso particularly compelling is its refusal to separate craft from interior design. Instead, craftsmanship becomes part of a complete environment, allowing visitors to understand an object not only for how it was made, but for how it can live within a space.
For OLISE, it is this meeting point between craft, culture, interiors and storytelling that makes Ca’ Riflesso one to experience during Venice’s month-long celebration of making.
Casa Sanlorenzo, Dorsoduro, Venice1st – 30th September 2026
