Vacheron Constantin and The Met Debut Artisan Residency Works by Golann, Said, and Bonfield-Colombara
Vacheron Constantin and The Metropolitan Museum of Art unveiled the Artisan Residency Program at the Temple of Dendur in New York, featuring three pieces developed over 18 months. Launched in May 2025, the initiative connected artisans from Vacheron Constantin with Aspen Golann, Ibrahim Said, and Joy Bonfield-Colombara. Golann's Vessel, a five-foot-tall wooden vase, draws inspiration from New England styles and took six months to craft. Ibrahim Said's Shaping Time, a four-and-a-half-foot ceramic sculpture, offers a fresh take on the Maltese Cross. Bonfield-Colombara's Ruined Splendour—BRONZE DIADEM examines decay through a unique bronze alloy. The collaboration began in 2023, with Max Hollein and Christian Selmoni highlighting the importance of innovation in craftsmanship, while Heidi Holder remarked on a contemporary shift towards making.
Key facts
- The inaugural Artisan Residency Program by Vacheron Constantin and The Met was established in May 2025 and culminated in a New York event at the Temple of Dendur.
- Three artists completed 18-month residencies: Aspen Golann, Ibrahim Said, and Joy Bonfield-Colombara.
- Aspen Golann's Vessel is a five-foot-tall wooden vase made with traditional cooperage methods, featuring bas-relief carvings and roughly 10,000 glue-ups, taking six months to create.
- Ibrahim Said's Shaping Time is a four-and-a-half-foot-tall, three-tiered lacquered ceramic sculpture reinterpreting Vacheron Constantin's Maltese Cross emblem.
- Joy Bonfield-Colombara's Ruined Splendour—BRONZE DIADEM uses a custom bronze alloy with silver, a 60 percent gold alloy, wire drawn to 0.2 millimeters, and over 2,000 fused links.
- Vacheron Constantin, the world's oldest watchmaker in continuous operation, traces its founding ethos to Jean-Marc Vacheron's 1755 apprenticeship contract.
- The partnership between Vacheron Constantin and The Met began in 2023 and has included the A Masterpiece on the Wrist series.
- Vacheron Constantin previously collaborated with the Musée du Louvre in 2019 and Beijing's Educational Institute of the Palace Museum in 2024.
Entities
Artists
- Aspen Golann
- Ibrahim Said
- Joy Bonfield-Colombara
- Max Hollein
- Christian Selmoni
- Heidi Holder
- Jean-Marc Vacheron
- Théodore Rousseau
- Sufa
- Marco Rossi
- Tutankhamun
- Princess Sithathoryunet
Institutions
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Vacheron Constantin
- Musée du Louvre
- Educational Institute of the Palace Museum
- The Chairmaker's Toolbox
- Rhode Island School of Design
- La Luce
- Galerie Magazine
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Paris
- France
- Beijing
- China
- North Carolina
- Egypt
- Carpathian