Presented by: ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture
Venue: C/ Espronceda 326, Naves 4–5, 08027 Barcelona
Date: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Time: 10:00–15:00
Fee: Free of charge
Capacity: 20 participants (priority given to artists and craft practitioners)
A Craft Happening by ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture under the European project Craftwork 4.0 ALL
Are you an artist or craft practitioner interested in working with living materials, exploring balance in transformation, and shaping form through gesture and intuition?
Wood, Paint & Living Forms is a one-day Craft Happening organized by ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture, as part of the European project Craftwork 4.0 ALL. The workshop forms part of the public and participatory programme of HOMEOSTASIS, the solo exhibition by artist Mark Redden, on view at ESPRONCEDA from the 15th until 25th of January.
Designed as a temporary laboratory for collective making, the workshop invites participants to explore concepts of balance, transformation, and material intelligence through hands-on sculptural experimentation. Natural, recycled, and living materials become the basis for shared creation, intuition, and dialogue.
Workshop description
Bringing together 20 artists and craft practitioners, Equilibrium in Practice extends the conceptual and material research of the HOMEOSTASIS exhibition into a collective, embodied process. Participants will collaboratively create a temporary sculptural installation within the exhibition space, responding to themes of adaptation, instability, and equilibrium.
Working with wood, fibre, pigment, clay, plant matter, found fragments, and reclaimed structural elements, participants will engage with hybrid material processes that echo Mark Redden’s sculptural language. Digital or experimental elements may also be introduced, drawing on ESPRONCEDA’s experience with interdisciplinary and research-driven formats.
The installation will evolve continuously throughout the session: elements will be assembled, dismantled, and reconfigured in response to each other. This process enacts homeostasis as a living condition—a state where balance is constantly negotiated through change, collaboration, and intuition.
What to expect
- A collaborative and inspiring environment for exploration and making.
- Hands-on experimentation with natural and recycled materials.
- A sculptural methodology rooted in balance, adaptation, and shared transformation
- The opportunity to contribute to a collective artwork connected to the research of the Craftwork 4.0 ALL project.
- Direct engagement with the conceptual framework of the HOMEOSTASIS exhibition.
The resulting installation / co-creation piece will be presented during the Craft Festival organized by ESPRONCEDA in November 2026, and may also be documented or activated in additional activities of the international programme.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is open for:
- Sculptors and installation practitioners
- Visual artists
- Craftworkers and makers
- Designers and architects
- Art, design, and craft students
- Researchers interested in ecology, material culture, and collaborative practices
No prior experience is required. Participants are encouraged to bring curiosity, openness, and a willingness to experiment.
Practical Information
- Materials: All materials are provided. Participants may bring small personal materials or fragments if desired.
- Language: English / Spanish
- Registration: Please register by email at info@espronceda.net until January 16th.
About the Mentor – Mark Redden
Mark Redden (Dublin, 1979) is an Irish visual artist based in Barcelona, working across painting, sculpture, and drawing. His practice is deeply informed by traditional craft knowledge, material intelligence, and intuitive processes, including influences from Irish currach boat-building. Through wood, pigment, canvas, and reclaimed materials, Redden creates abstract forms that explore balance, memory, emotion, and transformation.
About Craftwork 4.0 ALL
Craftwork 4.0 ALL is a European project co-funded by Creative Europe that explores the meeting point between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary digital methodologies. Through international labs, happenings, and collaborative encounters, the project connects artists, craftspeople, designers, and technologists to develop new hybrid forms of making and cultural transmission.
This project is also part of ESPRONCEDA´s NEB (NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS) initiative.
More info:
www.espronceda.net / www.craftwork4all.com
Questions? Please send us an email: info@espronceda.net
