Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
@gchicco.com
Creative producer, storyteller & conference director working at the intersection of design, technology and craft. Curious. Japanophile. Writer of The Craftsman Newsletter.
https://gchicco.com
https://thecraftsman.email
https://gchicco.com
https://thecraftsman.email
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
November 13, 2025 at 5:52 AM
As a knowledge worker perennially in front of a screen, learning traditional hand skills, even briefly, offers something irreplaceable.
October 4, 2025 at 5:03 PM
As a knowledge worker perennially in front of a screen, learning traditional hand skills, even briefly, offers something irreplaceable.
Difficult to disagree with any of it: Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
on.ft.com/46M9mXI Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world. Free to Read.
Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
Design was once seen as a tool to improve lives — but as modernism has become marketing, that sense of social purpose has drifted away
on.ft.com
October 4, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Difficult to disagree with any of it: Why designers abandoned their dreams of changing the world
My sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship during London Design Festival a couple of weeks ago. Featuring lots of sake, roses and chopstick-making -> www.gchicco.com/sketches-of-...
Sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship in London, September 2025
Sketches are my half-baked ideas, projects and notes for articles. I scribble them on napkins, random notebook pages or in my phone’s notes app.
Today's missive is from several activities I took par...
www.gchicco.com
September 29, 2025 at 1:25 PM
My sketches of Japanese Craftsmanship during London Design Festival a couple of weeks ago. Featuring lots of sake, roses and chopstick-making -> www.gchicco.com/sketches-of-...
@olereissmann.de hello! I came across your ramen.haus via Kristoffer Tjalve (and rotatingsandwiches.com). Inspired my to work on a personal project re: crafts. Have you written a tutorial on how to make images/videos of rotating objects?
RamenHaus
ramen.haus
September 27, 2025 at 8:29 AM
@olereissmann.de hello! I came across your ramen.haus via Kristoffer Tjalve (and rotatingsandwiches.com). Inspired my to work on a personal project re: crafts. Have you written a tutorial on how to make images/videos of rotating objects?
I have a handful of invites for Comet, the AI broswer from Perplexity. Ping me with your email if you want one: www.perplexity.ai/comet
Comet Browser: A personal AI assistant
Comet Browser by Perplexity is the AI browser that acts as a personal assistant. Automate tasks, research the web, organize your email, and more with Comet.
www.perplexity.ai
September 11, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I have a handful of invites for Comet, the AI broswer from Perplexity. Ping me with your email if you want one: www.perplexity.ai/comet
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
I'm giving away the last few copies of my book, from the early print runs in 2021/22. Email me if you'd like one! Details here: gilest.org/notes/free-b...
gilest.org: Free copies of my book for charities
gilest.org
August 27, 2025 at 8:09 AM
I'm giving away the last few copies of my book, from the early print runs in 2021/22. Email me if you'd like one! Details here: gilest.org/notes/free-b...
August 26, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Equally looking forward and afraid about this doc on Jeff Buckley. Trailer: youtu.be/DRrcgLRX8Qc?...
August 6, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Equally looking forward and afraid about this doc on Jeff Buckley. Trailer: youtu.be/DRrcgLRX8Qc?...
Decline is inevitable, and it occurs earlier than almost any of us wants to believe. But misery is not inevitable.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
Your Professional Decline Is Coming (Much) Sooner Than You Think
Here’s how to make the most of it.
www.theatlantic.com
August 6, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Decline is inevitable, and it occurs earlier than almost any of us wants to believe. But misery is not inevitable.
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...
@theatlantic.com
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
Looking for a Substack alternative? What about @ghost.org?
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
Ghost 6.0 is here — meet our biggest upgrade yet
🫶 Reach millions of users across the social web
🔎 Understand what works with native analytics
➕ Powerful new creator tools
📈 $100M earned for indie publishers
ghost.org/6/
🫶 Reach millions of users across the social web
🔎 Understand what works with native analytics
➕ Powerful new creator tools
📈 $100M earned for indie publishers
ghost.org/6/
Ghost 6.0 - Grow faster.
Connect to the world's largest open publishing network, understand your audience with native analytics, and build a sustainable publishing business.
ghost.org
August 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Looking for a Substack alternative? What about @ghost.org?
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"Millions of people can discover, follow, like and reply to your posts from any supported social web client - including @bsky.app, Mastodon, Threads, @flipboard.com, @ghost.org, @wordpress.org, @surf.social, WriteFreely, and many more."
"I don't want to survive, I want to live!"
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
Aliveness (what machines can't make)
Have you ever held an object and felt the maker's presence in your hands?
In art they call it 'aura'. It's what distinguishes an original painting from its reproduction, what you hear in Miles Davis ...
www.gchicco.com
August 3, 2025 at 12:45 PM
"I don't want to survive, I want to live!"
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
We're optimising for convenience in all the wrong places: www.gchicco.com/aliveness-wh...
Aonishiki didn't win the last Sumo championship on Sunday but he'll get there much sooner than later: youtu.be/EoVbRevoQfU?...
Blue Whirlwind - A Ukrainian sumo wrestler
YouTube video by Wegwezen
youtu.be
July 28, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Aonishiki didn't win the last Sumo championship on Sunday but he'll get there much sooner than later: youtu.be/EoVbRevoQfU?...
Reposted by Gianfranco Chicco 亀甲
I wrote a post about visiting the last stamp store in Chicago and living a life that’s fun, but worthless. I really like this one, hope you do too. dansinker.com/posts/202…
July 18, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I wrote a post about visiting the last stamp store in Chicago and living a life that’s fun, but worthless. I really like this one, hope you do too. dansinker.com/posts/202…
Join us! Starting in 50 minutes, online conversation with potter Tarragon Smith
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
Off the Hump: Poetry of Clay with Tarragon Smith
This webinar is part of The Summer Sessions: Craft & Design, a series of online conversations with craftspeople, designers, academics and storytellers. The previous one was on miracle fibres from Pata...
www.gchicco.com
July 10, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Join us! Starting in 50 minutes, online conversation with potter Tarragon Smith
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
www.gchicco.com/off-the-hump...
Shodō practice on Sunday: 放
Hanatsu (放つ), meaning “to release” or “to let go”, to move towards "nothingness" (無) or “no-mind” (無心). In Zen this refers to freeing yourself from the attachments, delusions, and mental baggage that weigh you down.
Brushed in three styles, from formal to informal.
Hanatsu (放つ), meaning “to release” or “to let go”, to move towards "nothingness" (無) or “no-mind” (無心). In Zen this refers to freeing yourself from the attachments, delusions, and mental baggage that weigh you down.
Brushed in three styles, from formal to informal.
July 7, 2025 at 9:13 AM
Shodō practice on Sunday: 放
Hanatsu (放つ), meaning “to release” or “to let go”, to move towards "nothingness" (無) or “no-mind” (無心). In Zen this refers to freeing yourself from the attachments, delusions, and mental baggage that weigh you down.
Brushed in three styles, from formal to informal.
Hanatsu (放つ), meaning “to release” or “to let go”, to move towards "nothingness" (無) or “no-mind” (無心). In Zen this refers to freeing yourself from the attachments, delusions, and mental baggage that weigh you down.
Brushed in three styles, from formal to informal.
Here's my list of craft and design related events, exhibitions, books, podcasts and makers to check out this summer: www.gchicco.com/summer-speci...
Summer Special 2025
Last year’s summer special proved to be pretty popular so here I am at it again with highlights of what to read, listen, watch and visit in the next few months, all of them relating to craft and desig...
www.gchicco.com
July 1, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Here's my list of craft and design related events, exhibitions, books, podcasts and makers to check out this summer: www.gchicco.com/summer-speci...
@dansinker.com PSA: your website links to your old ("squatted") BlueSky account.
June 18, 2025 at 10:03 PM
@dansinker.com PSA: your website links to your old ("squatted") BlueSky account.
This Friday at 10am UK, first online session of The Summer Sessions: Craft & Design
Textile artist Cindy Lilen on "miracle fibres" from the Andes and creating Argentina's London Design Biennale pavilion.
Craft meets ancient wisdom: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#craft #design #textiles
Textile artist Cindy Lilen on "miracle fibres" from the Andes and creating Argentina's London Design Biennale pavilion.
Craft meets ancient wisdom: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#craft #design #textiles
June 16, 2025 at 12:32 PM
This Friday at 10am UK, first online session of The Summer Sessions: Craft & Design
Textile artist Cindy Lilen on "miracle fibres" from the Andes and creating Argentina's London Design Biennale pavilion.
Craft meets ancient wisdom: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#craft #design #textiles
Textile artist Cindy Lilen on "miracle fibres" from the Andes and creating Argentina's London Design Biennale pavilion.
Craft meets ancient wisdom: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
#craft #design #textiles
The latest iteration of the Serpentine Pavilion is fabulous, even on an overcast day. 'A Capsule in Time' by Marina Tabassum and her Dhaka-based team.
June 3, 2025 at 1:43 PM
The latest iteration of the Serpentine Pavilion is fabulous, even on an overcast day. 'A Capsule in Time' by Marina Tabassum and her Dhaka-based team.
My interview with Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen from Norm Architects explores how Japanese and Danish design find common ground through natural materials and light. We discussed "hygge" vs "ma" and craft as a shared language: www.musubi.academy/finding-beau...
Finding Beauty in Stillness – Musubi Academy
Conversation with Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen - Norm Architects.
www.musubi.academy
June 2, 2025 at 5:50 PM
My interview with Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen from Norm Architects explores how Japanese and Danish design find common ground through natural materials and light. We discussed "hygge" vs "ma" and craft as a shared language: www.musubi.academy/finding-beau...
May 31, 2025 at 4:40 PM
今度は今度、
今は今。
Next time is next time,
Now is now.
Today’s shodō practice is an homage to Wim Wender’s film ‘Perfect Days’.
今は今。
Next time is next time,
Now is now.
Today’s shodō practice is an homage to Wim Wender’s film ‘Perfect Days’.
May 18, 2025 at 5:20 PM
今度は今度、
今は今。
Next time is next time,
Now is now.
Today’s shodō practice is an homage to Wim Wender’s film ‘Perfect Days’.
今は今。
Next time is next time,
Now is now.
Today’s shodō practice is an homage to Wim Wender’s film ‘Perfect Days’.
I republished an interview from 2021 with Sven Mihai, who makes tea scoops with a cult following from his mountain workshop in Central Europe
www.gchicco.com/the-influenc...
www.gchicco.com/the-influenc...
May 14, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I republished an interview from 2021 with Sven Mihai, who makes tea scoops with a cult following from his mountain workshop in Central Europe
www.gchicco.com/the-influenc...
www.gchicco.com/the-influenc...