TRADITIONAL CRAFTMANSHIP ON DISPLAY
Copyright main image: Prix: Metiers Suisse d’Art
JOURNÉES EUROPÉENNES DES MÉTIERS D’ART (JEMA) 2019 – GENEVA
Take a step back in time – visit passionate craftsmen and artisans in many different traditional arts and crafts professions in action in their studios during the European Artistic Crafts Days (JOURNÉES EUROPÉENNES DES MÉTIERS D’ART JEMA) in Geneva.
WHAT IS JOURNÉES EUROPÉENNES DES MÉTIERS D’ART?
From the 5th-7th of April you are invited into studios and workshops across Geneva to observe firsthand craftsmen and artisans practicing manual, traditional skills, sharing knowledge and skills developed and transferred from generation to generation over centuries.
Observe the skill, knowledge, craftsmanship and dedication involved in restoring ancient artworks to their former glory, binding and restoring valuable historical books, creating tiny replicas of the real world for art and architectural purposes or designing and creating beautiful leather handbags… and many, many more.
WHAT IS THE AIM OF JEMA?
The main aim of this weekend, organised by Association Suisse des Métiers d’Art and sponsored by the Ville de Geneve and other partners, is to promote and preserve the know-how and craftsmanship of these arts and craft professions for future generations.
“The artisans and craftsmen are seen as carriers of culture and living traditions. They contribute to maintaining our heritage, both tangible and intangible. This sector representing around 200 different professions is an important part of the creative economy and contributes to a culture of sustainable development,” according to the mission statement of the event.
5 FASCINATING CRAFTS TO SEE
LEATHER CRAFTSMAN, Chris Murner
Carouge
“I love creating useful and beautiful objects for women of today,” says Christiane.
She has been making unique, colourful handbags of the finest leather by hand in her studio in Carouge for over 35 years.
This profession entails the knowledge of all skins and leathers, the creation of templates, and a technical ability to make bags in various materials.
STONE SCULPTOR, Vincent du Bois
Petit Lancy
Following in the footsteps of his great-grandfather Cassani, Vincent wanted to preserve the ancestral skill of stone carving and the restoration of stone, but also to use this skill in the creation of contemporary art. His workshops display sculptures ranging from restoration works to works of art, creating a bridge between tradition and new technologies.
MINIATURIST, Jean-Michel Staudhammer
Chêne-Bourg
“To create in small something that will later be realised in big.”
Discover the achievements of the designers of the Atelier JMS. From architecture and urban planning to decoration, cinema, advertising, real estate development and museology, there are many needs for real-life miniaturization.
Atelier JMS has been making models, prototypes and miniatures exclusively by hand and in traditional ways for over 30 years. Visit the workshop to observe firsthand how the job of modelmaker or miniaturist is preserved in the modern world. The JMS workshop performs all types of model and miniature work, but exclusively by hand and in an artisanal way.
CARTOONIST, ILLUSTRATOR, THE HEAD
Charmilles
HEAD Genève offers a Bachelor degree in illustration and comics. During this weekend you are invited to an introductory workshop on comic strips which will reveal some aspects of being a cartoonist or illustrator, including the creation of the characters, the writing of the script and construction of the dialogues. A participative and fun way to discover what is known as the 9th art. The workshop takes place on the New Campus of the HEAD in Charmilles.
STUCCO PLASTERER, Daniel Cuenat
Vernier
“Our challenge is to extend the life of plaster works of art, to magnify them in order to preserve them for the future.”
WHEN
Friday, 5th of April till Sunday, 7th of April
WHERE
In different studios, workshops and cultural institutions across Geneva.
MORE INFO
For a map of the participating studios, workshops and cultural institutions offered and a full programme, visit this website.
