Vacheron Constantin & The Met Artisan Residency Programme

Vacheron Constantin, in partnership with The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) in New York, announces the Artisan Residency programme. Designed to support craft skills, encourage the evolution of traditional savoir-faire into new forms of expression and nurture the next generation of artisans, the Artisan Residency programme underlines both institutions’ longstanding commitment to supporting art and culture. The selection of the artisans was celebrated at a special event dedicated to Vacheron Constantin’s 270th anniversary, held on 5 June at The Met Cloisters.

Three artisans have been chosen for the inaugural 18-month residency, which recognises practitioners who are committed to preserving traditional crafts through their exploration of artistic techniques and practices that are relevant today. As a part of their residency, the three artisans will travel to New York to engage with The Met collection, staff, and will also spend time in Geneva, Switzerland, learning about the artistic processes and practices of Vacheron Constantin’s master artisans. The programme will culminate in October 2026, when the artisans will return to New York to present their work at The Met.

A worldwide invitation to talented artisans

Emphasizing the cross-cultural reach of the programme, applications were invited from artisans worldwide who specialise in traditional crafts, demonstrating technical virtuosity, artistic sensibility and an innovative approach to their craft. These applications were assessed by a jury composed of curators, art administrators, educators, artisans, and artists. After three rounds of assessment, three finalists were chosen based on the quality of their proposals, artistic merit and commitment to not only preserving but also advancing a traditional craft technique to create objects of exceptional aesthetic and technical value.

The three finalists are Aspen Golann (b. USA), Furniture maker; Ibrahim Said (b. Egypt), Ceramicist; and Joy Harvey (b. Italy), Jeweller.

Aspen Golann: US-born Aspen Golann blends contemporary art with classic American furniture forms to make subtle statements about power dynamics in the world of craft. Having trained in traditional woodworking crafts of the 17th–19th century, she manipulates iconic American furniture forms to create contemporary pieces that both critique and celebrate the history of American decorative arts. Founder of The Chairmaker’s Toolbox – a project fostering access and equity in the field of chairmaking – Golann channels her passion for sharing knowledge into teaching furniture design at The Rhode Island School of Design and leading craft workshops internationally.

Ibrahim Said: Recognised for his technical ability, creativity and innovation, ceramic artist Ibrahim Said comes from a family of potters in Fustat, the area of Cairo renowned for ceramics since the Islamic conquest in the 7th century AD. His first teacher – from the age of six – was his father, and Egypt’s rich cultural heritage became his second teacher. Said’s signature work embodies a lightness and delicacy balanced by the strong lines and bold shapes that distinguished ancient Egyptian ceramics. He pushes the limits of clay, through both structural technique and surface adornment, to create pieces that celebrate his cultural heritage while advancing it towards new horizons.

Joy Harvey: Joy Harvey’s artistic path, which led her from training in pure chemistry to the craft that she practises today, has a deep influence on her jewellery work. Born in Italy, where she lives and works, Harvey’s dedication to craftsmanship is rooted in a blend of traditional Florentine goldsmithing and Armenian techniques, merging ancient methods with modern innovations. For Harvey, beauty is not an absolute concept but is shaped by individual experience, culture and biology. Each piece that she creates serves as a platform for exploring deeper emotional and philosophical themes, blending her vision of imperfection and growth with reflections on the complexities of ageing.

An 18-month programme in three phases

During their 18-month residency, each artisan will produce an original work of art that demonstrates innovation in a traditional craft technique. The first phase of the programme will be dedicated to research, with the artisans spending time in both New York and Geneva, building the foundation for the project they will each produce under the residency. At The Met, they will draw inspiration from the Museum’s collections, archives, and exhibitions; at Vacheron Constantin, they will gain insights into the Maison’s in-house craft practices, ranging from watchmaking techniques to artistic crafts such as enameling, guillochage, engraving and gem-setting. Throughout this first phase, the three artisans will receive mentorship and feedback from peers and experts.

In the second phase of the programme, the artisans will move into the design and production of their chosen work of art, beginning with the submission of detailed project proposals and budgets. Their proposed final pieces will balance craft preservation with innovation. While the artisans will each work in their own studio, The Met will provide logistical and material support to ensure the successful realisation of their projects.

For the final phase, the three resident artisans will return to The Met to take part in workshops, public programmes and community events, which will provide opportunities to share their process with the public and contribute to the Museum’s programming.

Vacheron Constantin and The Met, an artistic & cultural alliance founded on shared values

The Artisan Residency programme is the latest initiative in the long-term partnership, established in 2023, between the Maison and The Met. Founded on both institutions’ deep commitment to the safeguarding and perpetuation of cultural and artistic savoir-faire, the partnership will manifest itself in a variety of initiatives over time.

Among these initiatives, the ‘Masterpiece on your Wrist’ programme offers watch collectors the opportunity to collaborate with Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers workshop in creating a single-piece edition watch with a dial featuring an enamel reproduction of a masterpiece from The Met’s collection. The presence of an in-house Métiers d’Art workshop at Vacheron Constantin is further evidence of the Maison’s commitment to supporting art and culture, by preserving rare and historic decorative crafts, encouraging their evolution in new directions and passing the legacy down through the generations.

For both The Met and Vacheron Constantin, the principle of mentorship that underpins the Artisan Residency programme is a true vocation. At Vacheron Constantin, it has been a core value since 1755, when Jean-Marc Vacheron signed the contract to employ his first apprentice and has been a driving force in the Maison’s 270-year quest for excellence. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens—businessmen and financiers as well as leading artists and thinkers of the day—who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. Today, The Met displays tens of thousands of objects covering 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City-The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters.

Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online. Since its founding, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing both new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.