Forres artisans invited by the Michelangelo Foundation to take part in the ‘Venice Biennale’ event

A couple of artisans have been invited to demonstrate their unique skills at an international festival in Italy next month.

Michael and Maria Start, of The House of Automata at 32 High Street, have been invited by the Michelangelo Foundation to take part in the ‘Venice Biennale’ event in September.

“It’s a big deal in the international arts and crafts world to be asked to go,” explained Michael. “We’ll be demonstrating our craft to an international audience so it’s an excellent opportunity to promote Forres and Scotland!
”We’ll be demonstrating restoration skills of mechanical singing birds and a beautiful moving sculpture of a breathing lady for a global audience of art collectors, museum curators and visitors to Venice.”

The pair opened their specialist shop and museum in Forres with their son Hector last summer. The House of Automata has the UK’s largest collection of the unusual artifacts. Dozens of antique automatons are on show in cabinets with QR codes linked to videos of them operating.

Michael is a trained Horologist and Maria an artist. Starting out in London 30-years-ago, they restore, sell and create automata using traditional techniques. Clients include collectors and museums from all over the world.

Michael’s recently published book ‘Secrets of Automata’ features unseen mechanisms and has been selling all over the world to makers and collectors including NASA.

He was an automaton consultant for Martin Scorsese’s film ‘Hugo’, designing the automaton for the picture and even teaching actor Jude Law how to hold a screwdriver!

Michael and Maria made a fully functioning miniature Flea Circus which performed between 2009 and 2018. ‘The Flying Starts’ show featured 12 traditional circus acts performed by human ‘fleas’. It performed in the O2 Arena in London as part of the 2011 Brit Awards party.

Maria was recently consulted on a book about the Walt Disney ‘Tiki Room’ where she is quoted on the first page.

The couple also feature on ‘The Restorers’ on the Discovery channel, restoring a wide variety of automata.

As well as holding regular salon performances of automata in Forres, they provide talks and demonstrations at events further afield.

The Michelangelo Foundation, which promotes excellence in craftsmanship, invited them on the upcoming all expenses paid trip to Italy.

The Venice Biennale is an international cultural exhibition hosted annually since 1895 in Italy by the Biennale Foundation. The main event held in Castello, in the halls of the Arsenale and Biennale Gardens, alternates between art and architecture.

‘The Journey of Life’ event will focus on contemporary craftsmanship, allowing visitors to discover beautiful handmade objects and the artisans who created them through scenography, demonstrations, workshops and more.

Maria said: “From September 10-13, on exotic San Giorgio Maggiore island in Venice, we will be demonstrating automata-making and restoration to visitors.

“We are excited to represent Scotland and Michael is looking forward to the food - the only restaurant on our island has a Michelin starred chef!”