The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Vacheron Constantin are bringing their shared commitment to craftsmanship and cultural preservation into focus with the unveiling of three original works created through their Artisan Residency Programme. Presented at The Met in New York on October 8, the creations mark the culmination of an 18 month residency that connected emerging artistic practices with centuries of craftsmanship preserved by both institutions.
The Met and Vacheron Constantin have unveiled three original works created by Aspen Golann, Ibrahim Said and Joy Harvey through an 18 month Artisan Residency exploring the meeting point between heritage craftsmanship and contemporary creativity.
The programme was created as a mentorship and creative incubator designed to encourage the preservation of artistic and cultural heritage while giving contemporary artisans the freedom to reinterpret traditional techniques. For Vacheron Constantin, the initiative reflects a long standing commitment to passing craftsmanship from one generation to the next while exploring new forms of artistic expression.
Three artisans were selected for the residency: American designer Aspen Golann, Egyptian American ceramicist Ibrahim Said and Anglo Italian goldsmith and jeweller Joy Harvey. Over 18 months, the artists worked across New York, Geneva and their respective studio locations, drawing inspiration from the collections of The Met and the decorative arts expertise of Vacheron Constantin.
The resulting works demonstrate three very different approaches to material, technique and artistic expression. Golann created Vessels, a series of monumental vases using bas relief sculpture on wood. Said developed Shaping Time, a three tiered vertical structure created through modelling and engraving on lacquered ceramic. Harvey produced Ruined Splendour Bronze Diadem, a bronze coronet developed through hammering, chiselling and lamination using a precious metal alloy incorporating bronze, copper, tin, gold and silver.
Although distinct in form and material, the three creations share a common foundation. Each artist drew inspiration from masterpieces spanning centuries of art history at The Met while also engaging with the artisanal techniques and craftsmanship practiced at Vacheron Constantin.
The residency offered the artists an opportunity to experience both institutions from within. Their time at The Met provided direct engagement with works from its extensive collection, while their experience at the Vacheron Constantin Manufacture in Geneva introduced them to generations of expertise in decorative crafts and haute horlogerie.
Vacheron Constantin has maintained a strong focus on the preservation and transmission of craftsmanship since its founding. Its Manufacture includes a dedicated workshop for artistic crafts, where techniques including guilloché, engraving, gem setting and enamelling continue to be practiced alongside contemporary watchmaking technologies.
That philosophy has also shaped the Maison’s wider cultural partnerships. Vacheron Constantin has established artistic collaborations with institutions including the Louvre, The Met and the Educational Institute of the Palace Museum in Beijing, supporting initiatives designed to preserve artistic knowledge while encouraging new generations of creators to explore traditional skills in contemporary ways.
The Artisan Residency Programme, launched in May 2025 by The Met in collaboration with Vacheron Constantin, is built around three central ideas: developing a broad range of artistic and craft skills, challenging traditional craftsmanship through new forms of expression and inspiring future generations through the exchange and transmission of knowledge.
For Golann, Said and Harvey, that philosophy translated into highly individual creative processes. Each artist worked with a different primary material, using wood, clay or metals to explore the relationship between historic craftsmanship and contemporary practice.
The residency also created opportunities to combine traditional hand techniques with modern technology. While some of the tools used by the artists have remained largely unchanged for centuries, contemporary methods were also incorporated into the creative process. Harvey, for example, used 3D scanning as part of her work, demonstrating how digital technologies can coexist with established artisanal practices.
The resulting pieces reflect this dialogue between past and present. Traditional gestures and techniques were repeated and adapted, while the artists introduced their own contemporary perspectives and approaches to material and form.
The collaboration forms part of a broader artistic relationship between Vacheron Constantin and The Met that began in 2023. Their partnership has already produced a range of cultural and creative initiatives, including A Masterpiece on the Wrist, which allows collectors and enthusiasts to collaborate with Vacheron Constantin’s Les Cabinotiers workshop on unique watches featuring enamel dials inspired by works from The Met’s collection.
The Artisan Residency Programme extends that relationship beyond watchmaking, placing the preservation and transmission of artistic craftsmanship at the centre of the partnership. It also reflects a shared belief that heritage remains relevant when knowledge is passed on while allowing artists to reinterpret established techniques.
For Vacheron Constantin, mentorship is deeply connected to the history of the Manufacture itself. The Maison traces its commitment to apprenticeship to 1755, when Jean Marc Vacheron signed its first apprenticeship contract. More than two and a half centuries later, that principle continues through initiatives designed to connect established expertise with emerging creative talent.
The three works created by Aspen Golann, Ibrahim Said and Joy Harvey therefore represent more than the conclusion of an 18 month residency. Together, they demonstrate how traditional craftsmanship can remain active and evolving when artists are given the opportunity to study historic techniques, engage with cultural collections and experiment with new materials, technologies and ideas.
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