L'Italo-Americano

L'Italo-Americano THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025 www.italoamericano.org 4 H ollywood, the f a c t o r y o f d r e a m s , h a s always been a p l a c e w h e r e art and storytelling feel at home, and this award season, there is an undeniable gusto Italiano in the air. We have, of course, the annual celebration o f I t a l i a n f i l m m a k i n g a t Filming Italy Los Angeles, which is taking place between February 19 and 22. We also have Isabella Rossellini's nomination as Best Support- ing Actress at the Academy Awards, which are taking place on March 2 at the Dolby Theater. On that night, how- ever, there'll be one more Ital- ian protagonist, the jewelry from the Bottega Orafa Paolo Penko, which will s h i n e n o t o n l y o n t h e b i g screen but also in the compe- t i t i o n f o r B e s t C o s t u m e Design: the Florentine work- shop's handmade creations, featured in Oscar-winning director Edward Berger's Conclave, played a crucial role in defining the film's aesthetic and became a key element of its storytelling. T h e y c o m p l e m e n t L i s y Christl's work on costumes and deliver great authenticity to the movie: those behind the creation of these beauti- ful pieces — many of which were made specifically for the film's characters — had a critical role in enhancing the film's visuals. L'Italo-Americano had the opportunity to speak with one of the Bottega Orafa's a r t i s a n s , R i c c a r d o Penko, to discuss the cre- ative process, the challenge of historical accuracy, and what it means to bring Italian c r a f t s m a n s h i p t o Hollywood's biggest stage. H i s i n s i g h t s r e v e a l t h e incredible work that went into the making of over 500 unique pieces for the film, but also show the deep artis- tic and cultural tradition that continues to define Italian jewelry-making. T w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s a g o , P a o l o P e n k o , a m a s t e r goldsmith with a passion for Renaissance and sacred art, founded his Bottega Orafa with a commitment to keep- i n g h i s t o r i c a l t e c h n i q u e s a l i v e . T o d a y , h i s w i f e , B e a t r i c e , a n d t h e i r s o n s , Riccardo and Alessandro, work with him, supporting Florence's famous jewelry- making tradition. "Those w h o c o m e t o u s b r i n g a stone, a sketch, or an idea. We study the project and turn it into reality," Riccardo says. This is what lies behind t r u e m a s t e r p i e c e s , a n d the artistry and cultural sig- nificance of the Bottega — whose creations are also h o u s e d i n t h e B a r g e l l o M u s e u m a n d t h e S i l v e r Museum of Palazzo Pitti — is a symbol of it. Perhaps, it was also the Penko family's deeply-rooted p a s s i o n f o r s a c r e d a r t — Paolo founded the Sacred Art School in Florence — that led costume designer and friend Ilaria Marmugi to walk, one faithful day, into the work- shop with fellow designer Lisy Christl. The meeting turned into an extraordinary opportunity: creating jewelry f o r t h e e n t i r e c a s t o f C o n c l a v e , f r o m t h e l e a d a c t o r s — R a l p h F i e n n e s , Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, I s a b e l l a R o s s e l l i n i , a n d Sergio Castellitto — to the e x t r a s . " W e c r e a t e d 5 3 1 pieces, all handmade, one by one," Riccardo explains. "In C o n c l a v e , j e w e l r y i s w a y more than an accessory, it is an integral part of the cos- tumes." The Bottega Orafa's creat- i n g p r o c e s s b e g a n w i t h extensive research: "From a t h e o l o g i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e , sacred art jewelry isn't just about aesthetics, because these pieces must function as true instruments of prayer," Penko explains. "That's why we proposed decorating the jewelry and crosses on both the front and back, just like r e a l c a r d i n a l c r o s s e s . " Ultimately, "The idea was to e n s u r e t h e s e o b j e c t s f e l t authentic, not merely props but true crosses for cardinals. We looked to history and symbolism to avoid inaccura- c i e s . A s f o r t h e s t y l e , w e experimented extensively: while sacred art jewelry has a vast tradition, Conclave is a contemporary film, and the pieces had to reflect what is used today." In the movie, just as in reality, the cardinals wear identical robes, leaving their crosses as the only individual e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e i r r a n k , background, and personal beliefs. That distinction had to be evident in the crafts- manship: "By studying Pope Francis' cardinal appoint- ments, we discovered that a b o u t 6 5 % o f t h e m f a v o r modern, understated choic- e s , w h i l e t h e r e s t r e m a i n more traditional," Riccardo continues. "To represent this divide, we created simple sil- ver crosses without gem- stones, as a reflection of a C h u r c h m o r e f o c u s e d o n Forged in tradition: how Conclave is bringing Italian craftsmanship to the 2025 Oscars SILVIA NITTOLI NEWS & FEATURES TOP STORIES PEOPLE EVENTS CONTINUED TO PAGE 6 Riccardo Penko at work on his sketches (Photo: Gerald von Foris)

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