A love of gems
- Javier is a master jeweller and gem setter
- His father was his first teacher
- To him his work gives him great creative freedom
Javier Galasso's first training ground was his own home. His father worked in jewellery making since he was 12 years old and taught hundreds of jewellers over decades. When Javier finished high school in 2001, he began studying goldsmithing at the Figari School of Arts and Crafts. "In 2002 and at the same time as my studies, I also began training in crimping at the school," says Javier. "In those years I spent more hours at the school than at home. Those were very intense years and a lot of learning that I would later capitalise on as a professional jewellery maker." In 2004 he attended the Irigem School in Rosá, Italy for a semester, where he learned engraving, micro fusion, gemology, gem cutting, 3D design, and wax work. "I think what defines me most is the degree of detail with which I approach each work. Each piece is unique and I try to make it as perfect as possible," he says.
Interview
- What do you find so appealing about making jewellery?
- It gives me the opportunity to create something material of great value. Being able to create a tangible object from an idea, and an object that is full of meaning for the person who wear it, is a great satisfaction. Jewellery accompanies moments that are meaningful and I like to be part of those stories.
- Do you think everyone comes to understand your craft completely?
- Many times, I see that people are not able to really visualise everything that had to happen for a piece to materialise. From selecting the materials to casting them, shaping them, and so on. Every detail of what I do is thought out and done with intention.
- Is there something in particular that has defined your professional journey?
- I am an attentive observer of what is happening globally in my craft, but I recognise that I get much more out of studying the past, and challenging myself with classic pieces. I believe that innovating from a deep knowledge of ancestral techniques is what has defined my career as a goldsmith.
- Do you have anxiety about the future of goldsmithing?
- Everything that is handmade is in danger as other forms of industrialised production and consumption are advancing. However I have noticed in recent years a return to valuing small scale creations, the local rather than global.
Javier Galasso is a master artisan: he began his career in 2004 and he started teaching in 2011
