L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 14 2015 www.italoamericano.org L'Italo-Americano 2 S a m e p a t t e r n f o l l o w e d b y Gerardo Sacco, whose jewelry has been used in various cinema, theatre, and television produc- tions and worn by Liz Taylor, I s a b e l l a R o s s e l l i n i , M o n i c a Bellucci, and Elena Sofia Ricci. Can you tell us how you got close to this goldsmith art? Usually, you start this job by studying, but for me it was a completely different experience. I come from a poor family and my stepfather forced me to leave school because I needed to con- tribute to the family income. That's how I started working at a barbershop. After a while, the change: one of our clients who used to be a goldsmith artist asked my uncle if I could work for him. That's how it all start- ed: I was 10 and left when I was 2 0 t o g o t o V a l e n z a P o a t Istituto Benvenuto Cellini: dur- traditions, like the Sicilian pup- pet, the Neapolitan Sciò Sciò, and the cameos from classical mythology, the saints, and the masks made for theatrical repre- sentations. This is especially true for goldsmith masters in Crotone, artists able to craft precious met- als in order to produce objects known worldwide: from gold to silver, pearls, corals and, pre- c i o u s s t o n e s . T h a n k s t o a n important feature, the work of these masters is a great example of the value of Made in Italy: the uniqueness of their work is the result of the ability to com- bine tradition and contemporary art, which means that the skill of patience typical of traditional craftsmen is now blended with the most modern techniques. O v e r t i m e , t h e C r o t o n e s e goldsmith has been appreciated i n a v a r i e t y o f s e c t o r s : f o r instance, the religious art found i n c h u r c h e s a n d c a t h e d r a l s includes wonderful examples of votive crosses and decorations. The movie and entertainment world also has been seduced by this timeless jewelry, along with fashion designers, who started using them for their collections. Several Crotone goldsmiths have become well known world- w i d e , e s p e c i a l l y w h e n t h e i r work began to attract the interest of major figures. This is the case o f M i c h e l e A f f i d a t o , w h o b e c a m e f a m o u s f o r h a v i n g designed sacred objects, appre- ciated by several Popes such as John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Continued from page 1 i n g t h e d a y I w o r k e d a n d a t night I had classes and studied. Then, I went back to Crotone where, in 1962, started my busi- ness. D o y o u h a v e a u n i q u e moment of childhood which is related to your work? I have many, but many of them are sad ones. I used to do many things, such as doing gro- cery shopping, use dangerous materials, clean jewelry and take them in a safe place with the risk of being robbed. But one day, I went to the beach to col- lect some stones. Later, I made a necklace with them. I left it on my table and one of our vendors asked who had made it. For the first time, my work was appreci- ated. You call yourself a "self- taught" student. How did it m a k e a d i f f e r e n c e i n y o u r career? I wanted to study because I thought it could help me work better, but not taking classes w a s a n a d v a n t a g e a t l a s t , because I did not follow a differ- ent path in my career. I remem- b e r c o m m e n t s b y j o u r n a l i s t s who defined my jewelry unique, r e c o g n i z a b l e , a n d b e a u t i f u l . Even a magazine in Japan once said: if you want to see new sil- vers, you need to go and check Gerardo Sacco's ones. My prod- ucts remind the farmers' culture from the Mediterranean, with a modern touch. As soon as the first samples were produced, Gerardo was a w a r d e d t h e 1 s t p r i z e a t t h e G o l d s m i t h ' s E x h i b i t i o n i n Florence and the Craftsman's O s c a r a t t h e E x h i b i t i o n o f Sanremo. These national suc- cesses confirmed the originality and uniqueness of his creations and, thanks to them, his compa- ny is one of the most famous in the field. Some of his creations h a v e b e e n d i s p l a y e d a t t h e Vittoriano Complex in Rome and in the Vatican Museums, while others were exhibited at important events organized by v a r i o u s I t a l i a n I n s t i t u t e s o f Foreign Culture, in Brussels, L i s b o n , C o p e n h a g e n , a n d Madrid. Different cultures meet in a single art, with centuries of his- tory coming to life through jew- elry and bracelets, decorations and pendants, medallions, pre- cious stones and glass paste. A v a l u a b l e I t a l i a n t r a d i t i o n , C r o t o n e g o l d s m i t h s a r e a n example of how to combine a priceless heritage of art and cul- ture with the craftsmanship of today's extraordinary artists. Gerardo Sacco. His company is one of the most famous in the field Over time, the Crotonese goldsmith has been appreciated in a variety of sectors Gerardo Sacco with Sophia Loren

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