European Visual Practices to Watch in 2026
A survey of emerging European visual practitioners highlights a shift toward interdisciplinary, material-driven work. Key figures include Angolan-Portuguese designer Lia Raquel Marques, whose work fuses product design, textile knowledge, and cultural memory; Alan Louis, who creates sculptural ceramic furniture; Portuguese textile sculptor Maria Pratas; Italian ceramicists Paolo Santangelo (born 1990 in Bari) and Arianna De Luca (based in Rome); Roman illustrator and muralist Camilla Falsini; Geneva-based graphic design group Futur Neue; and Hamburg-based Studio Lucas Hesse. Major events include Lisbon Design Week's expanded 2026 edition featuring over 150 designers across 80+ venues, and Collectible Brussels' NEW GARDE section showcasing emerging designers working with industrial materials and 3D printing.
Key facts
- Lia Raquel Marques is an Angolan-Portuguese designer based in Lisbon.
- Alan Louis works between Lisbon, Paris, and Brittany, creating hand-built clay furniture.
- Maria Pratas is a Portuguese textile sculptor and visual artist.
- Paolo Santangelo was born in Bari in 1990.
- Arianna De Luca is based in Rome.
- Camilla Falsini is based in Rome and works in editorial illustration, public murals, and urban art.
- Futur Neue is an independent graphic design, typography, and research group based in Geneva.
- Studio Lucas Hesse is based in Hamburg and works across visual communication, motion, code, and kinetic typography.
- Lisbon Design Week 2026 will feature more than 150 designers across over 80 venues.
- Collectible Brussels' NEW GARDE section features emerging designers working with industrial materials, 3D printing, and limited-edition formats.
Entities
Artists
- Lia Raquel Marques
- Alan Louis
- Maria Pratas
- Paolo Santangelo
- Arianna De Luca
- Camilla Falsini
- Futur Neue
- Lucas Hesse
- Matteo Venet
Institutions
- Royal College of Art
- Lisbon Design Week
- Collectible Brussels
- Hue & Eye
- Théâtre Saint-Gervais Genève
Locations
- Lisbon
- Portugal
- Paris
- France
- Brittany
- Bari
- Italy
- Rome
- Geneva
- Switzerland
- Hamburg
- Germany
- Brussels
- Belgium