"Surface in Depth": the Special Lecture by Stefano Marchetti
Gold and its infinite possibilities at the center of the "Surface in Depth" meeting held by the Padua-born master goldsmith for students at IED Milan
«I admire artists who work with different materials and I myself have experimented using different materials in my work, although I still love gold and I believe that it is still possible to invent something interesting in the world of contemporary jewelry. I also believe that it is really important for those who want to become jewelry designers or artists to understand where they best fit in, because today's market is vast and could be confusing.» This was how master goldsmith Stefano Marchetti opened the special meeting entitled “Surface in Depth”, organized by IED (European Institute of Design) last Tuesday, 29th March, at the Adi Design Museum, during the workshop week dedicated to research and experimentation on techniques not commonly used in jewelry making, held by Marchetti from 28th March to 1st April at IED. Experimenter-cum-alchemist, Marchetti unveiled the inside stories to some of his works, those most suited to outlining his stylistic changes in a vast artistic production, the result of over 25 years of “superficial but profound,” non-stop research. Because any technical procedure, even the most basic, can offer infinite possibilities and variations if approached with a revolutionary eye. It is this exercise that “leads to interpreting shapes, colors and materials with the poetic spirit of the artist, and to exploring the mysteries of matter with the aptitude of scientific investigation.” This was exactly the case of his very first piece, considered by the author to be a failure: a brooch in silver and copper alloys, made at the end of the 1980s. «At the time, I was particularly fascinated by post-impressionist painting, by French pointillism, and I tried to create the same “impression” of shading on metal.» Don't be afraid to explore; let intuition, curiosity and passion guide you, especially at the beginning; infuse your own personality into a piece while still leaving room for the infinite number of the personalities of those who will wear it later: these are some of Marchetti's precious tips for aspiring future jewelers. But above all, start as early as possible. «I began my training when I was 14 and graduated at the age of 18. In my opinion, it is important to start young. Can you imagine anyone who wants to be a pianist touching the keys for the first time at the age of 30?»
