About the artist
I am sure most people find it hard to speak about their own work, especially when it’s so closely tied to their emotions, feelings and experience. The jewelry I create is a product of long years spent as a traditional jeweler, decorator and painter.
Each piece is unique, as is the spark that inspired it: a splash of colour, a half-glimpsed fleeting shape, or a combination of the two. Ideas then materialize and find their final form on paper. On my quest for ideal work materials I settled for paper, gold wire and gems, opting for the lightness and malleability of paper rather than the hardness and rigidity of metal. To me, my art is a harmonious fusion of the experience I have gathered over the years and a constant search for new combinations and arrangements.
I have always been fascinated by paper as an easily obtainable, ductile and malleable material, so it was a perfectly natural decision for me to move from traditional jewelry towards using paper as a main element for unusual and exceptionally light pieces. Its intrinsic softness and shock resistance make paper an ideal material for bold creations, as it allows for voluminous shapes and extraordinary lightness.
Paper is a true chameleon: it can be coloured, gilded and treated in wide a variety of ways. This makes it an ideal partner for a number of other materials, such as gold, pearls, gems, copper, iron and antique textiles in a mixture of shapes and colours that form unique, precious pieces of jewelry. Each piece of jewelry starts out as an idea subsequently refined in a detailed drawing and finally takes shape as a three-dimensional object accompanied by a description, the original drawing and a list of all materials employed.
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Basics
| 1977 | Education: graduates as “Maestro d’Arte” at the “Benvenuto Cellini” institute in Valenza (I) |
| 1961 | born in Velezzo Lomellina (Italy) |
Acquisitions
| 2012 | Necklace „Kardia“ and bracelet „Pelagos“ by the Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
Awards
| 2015 | winner of the Alatyr 2015 Innovation Award, Biennial of Amber Art in Amber Museum, Kaliningrad (Ru) |
| 2012 | winner of the Grassipreis, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 1988 | winner of the Diamonds International Award, De Beers, Paris (F) |
Workshops / Lessions
| 08/2020 | Workshop on design and creation of alternative jewelry, organized by Babel, Bolzano (I) |
| 1992-99 | Lecturer of Illustration and Design classes held by the Valenza jewellers’ association |
Publications
| 11/2024 | „Italiano Plurale 2024“ catalog of the italian artist collective |
| 03/2023 | „The Object“ – Selection from the Grassi Museum collection in the SM*CK Magazine. Issue #08, Hamburg/Athens (D/GR) |
| 11/2021 | Interview „Jewelry Dialogues“ in the SM*CK Magazine. Issue #05, Hamburg/Athens (D/GR) |
| 10/2019 | “Bodyfurnitures 2019” catalog, current works of art by Gian Luca Bartellone |
| 11/2018 | Editorial contribution about the group exhibition “Italiano plurale – Vie personali” (Wien) in the Dolomiten, Bolzano (I) |
| 08/2018 | Interview „An irresistible artistic challenge“ in the SWZ – Südtiroler Wirtschaftszeitung, Bolzano (I) |
| 07/2018 | Online interview „Besides being a fulfilling process in itself, drawing for me becomes a working tool“ in the portal for contemporary jewelry Klimt02.net |
| 01/2018 | Cover design in 3D pop-up style for the KVW Bildung education brochure „Kurse im Frühling 2018“, South Tyrol (I) |
| 10/2017 | “Bodyfurnitures 2017” catalog, current works of art by Gian Luca Bartellone |
| 08/2017 | Publication of a collage from jewerly sketches for the KVW Bildung education brochure „Kurse im Herbst 2017“, South Tyrol (I) |
| 06/2016 | Bodyfurnitures featured in “25 Jahre schenken und fördern”, exhibition book of the Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 10/2015 | “Bodyfurnitures 2015” catalog, current works of art by Gian Luca Bartellone |
| 07/2015 | Media coverage about the Alatyr Innovation Award, including Neue Tageszeitung, Dolomiten, ff – Südtiroler Wochenmagazin |
| 02/2015 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the Artistar Annual 2015, International Annual of Contemporary Jewel Art by Fausto Lupetti Editore (I) |
| 05/2013 | Artist profile featured in the British Vogue (UK) |
| 11/2012 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the Jewelbook 12/13, International Annual of Contemporary Jewel Art by Stichting Kunstboek (NL) |
| 11/2012 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the local weekly magazine ff-extra “luxury” |
| 11/2012 | Media coverage about the Grassipreis Award, including Art Aurea, Schmuckmagazin, Sentire, Dolomiten, Neue Tageszeitung |
| 02/2011 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the art magazine aperitivo illustrato |
| 01/2011 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the national newspaper Corriere della Sera |
| 10/2009 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the fashion and culture magazine cool_schrank |
| 06/2008 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the magazine ornamenta cult |
| 02/2008 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the life-style magazine IN Südtirol |
| 2003-05 | Extensive media coverage in donna moderna, marie claire, chi, plus magazine, elle, vanity fair, street wear in coll. with Terzo Millennio gallery, Milan (I) |
| 2001 | Bodyfurnitures featured in the local weekly magazine ff-extra |
| 1997 | Interior design featured in local weekly magazine ff – Südtiroler Wochenmagazin |
| 1988 | Media coverage about the “Diamonds International Award” including sette, national newspaper Corriere della Sera |
Exhibitions
| 11/2025 | „Kunst und Handwerk“, Artisans at the KUH im Stall, Aachen (D) |
| 11/2024 | “Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show”, Philadelphia (USA) with the collective “Italiano Plurale” |
| 05/2023 | “Friedrich Becker Price” – exhibition of selected pieces of jewellery – at the Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst, Hanau (D) |
| 04/2023 | „Gioiello Contemporaneo Contest“ at Rossini gallery, Milan (I) |
| 03/2023 | “Bijoux 2023” at the Boca Raton Museum of Art, Boca Raton, Florida (USA) |
| 10/2021 | “Hypnotic Jewelry” solo-exhibition at Tonhaus, Bolzano (I) |
| 10/2020 | “Alternative Options” – Pop-up Gallery Exhibition organized by the NoCC (New Center of Contemporary Jewellery and Fashion Culture) and the Tongji University, College of Design and Innovation – at the The Bund Finance Center, Shanghai (China) |
| 10/2020 | “A bridge between materials” at the Am Pfarrplatz Nr. 9 gallery, Merano (I) |
| 12/2018 | “Snowing a little out the window” at the Putti gallery, Riga (LV) |
| 11/2018 | “Italiano plurale – Vie personali” at the Der grosse Bär gallery during Vienna Jewellery Days, Vienna (A) |
| 04/2018 | “Loot 2018” at the MAD Museum of Art and Design, New York (USA) |
| 06/2017 | “Alatyr 2017” at the Amber Museum, Kaliningrad (Ru) |
| 06/2017 | “Sommer Edition” at the Gut Geissel gallery, Langenberg (D) |
| 05/2017 | “25 years of Galerie Orfèo” at the Orfèo gallery, Luxembourg (l) |
| 03/2017 | “aad alpen adria donau” at the P13 Carl Weishaupt gallery during Munich Jewellery Week, Munich (D) |
| 03/2017 | “Bijoux 2017” at the Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida (USA) |
| 04/2016 | “Loot 2016” at the MAD Museum of Art and Design, New York (USA) |
| 06/2015 | “Alatyr 2015” at the Amber Museum, Kaliningrad (Ru) |
| 06/2015 | “Sommer Edition” at the Gut Geissel gallery, Langenberg (D) |
| 12/2014 | “8x faszination” at the University of design, Bolzano (I) |
| 07/2014 | “Friedrich Becker Price” – exhibition of selected pieces of jewellery – at the Gesellschaft für Goldschmiedekunst, Hanau (D) |
| 08/2013 | “Gut Geissel Opening” at the Gut Geissel gallery, Langenberg (D) |
| 08/2013 | “Nocturnum IV – Nord trifft Süd” at the Schmuckwerkstatt Konrad Laimer, Naturno (I) |
| 02/2013 | “Schmuckkunst und Papagenoart” at the Slavik gallery, Vienna (A) |
| 12/2012 | “8x faszination” at the University of design, Bolzano (I) |
| 12/2012 | “Piedàterre”. Solo-exhibition and presentation of the new Bodyfurnitures shoe jewellery collection at Brand33, Milan (I) |
| 11/2011 | “Storie di Carta”, solo-exhibition at the mies gallery, Modena (i) |
| 11/2010 | “Designers Date II” at Villa Ammonit, Berlin (D) |
| 04/2010 | “Summer Collection” at sdcgallery, London (UK) |
| 11/2009 | “Designers Date” at Villa Ammonit, Berlin (D) |
| 04/2009 | “Poesie der Schmuckkunst” at the Slavik gallery, Vienna (A) |
| 03/2009 | “Indossare l’arte” at the Il ponte gallery, Bassano del Grappa (I) |
| 11/2008 | “Les artistes de la galerie” at the Orfèo gallery, Luxembourg (l) |
| 04/2008 | “Magic of jewellery art” at the Slavik gallery, Vienna (A) |
| 03/2008 | “Cartiera”, solo-exhibition at Brand33, Milan (I) |
| 04/2001 | “I quattro elementi” – sculpted bracelets at Café Maschin, Bolzano (I) |
Fairs
| 10/2023 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 07/2022 | Handwerk & Design, International Crafts Fair, Munich (D), with the collective “Italiano Plurale” |
| 10/2021 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D), with the collective “Italiano Plurale” (Guest Country Italy) |
| 09/2021 | Feinwerk, Market for genuine things, Schloss Fasanerie, Eichenzell/Fulda (D) |
| 10/2020 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 11/2019 | Salon Resonance[s], Strasbourg (F), as group “Italiano plurale” |
| 10/2017 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 05/2015 | Eunique, Applied Arts & Design, Karlsruhe (D) |
| 03/2014 | Arredo, Bolzano (I), in collaboration with University of Bolzano (Design) |
| 11/2013 | Sieraad Art Fair, Amsterdam (NL) |
| 10/2013 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 10/2012 | Grassimesse, Grassi Museum of applied Arts, Leipzig (D) |
| 11/2008 | Blickfang, Zurich (CH), in collaboration with Schmuckforum gallery |
| 11/2007 | Blickfang, Zurich (CH), in collaboration with Schmuckforum gallery |
