The ancient art of chiselling
- Michele paints and sculpts using precious metals
- He combines historic traditions and creativity
- He enjoys reinterpreting painted portraits in metal sculptures
His passion for understanding the potential and qualities of metals was born when he was very young. Indeed, in secondary school, Michele Garbin's favourite subject was mineralogy. In his teenage years, Michele decided to attend the School for Goldsmiths and Silversmiths in Milan, where he was eventually awarded the Annibale Cusi prize by the Goldsmiths' Association of Lombardy. He continued his study of the art of chiselling with the great silversmiths of Milan, including the famous ateliers of Mazzucato and Coppola. Michele perfected his skills in sculpture thanks to important Italian masters such as Sergio Tapia Radic and Laura Branca. Michele works with precious metals as a painter would with brush and paint. He creates unique artworks and also has a great passion for recreating famous portraits of historical painters in a personal and modern way.
Interview
- How are your works created?
- My aim is always to realise the wishes of my clients, creating special and valuable pieces not only for the use of precious materials, but also for their uniqueness. Each piece has to be in harmony with the environment for which it is intended.
- Do you think that your passion is linked to where you live?
- Sure, my craft is a very old Italian tradition and Milan has always been a hub for silversmiths and chisellers. I have learned techniques and secrets from great masters here. They allowed me to hone my skills and identify my own style.
- Is there an aspect of your craft that people usually do not know?
- To be a chiseller you must know how to draw and how to sculpt. It is also a skill that needs a lot of commitment and patience. The result is a meticulous creation – meticulous in detail, and beautiful – giving the emotion of beauty.
- Can you tell us a memorable moment in your professional life?
- When I was able to reinterpret 'Boy with a Basket of Fruit', the famous Caravaggio painting, with all its lights and shadows, figures and details, from the skin of the boy to the skin of a peach, from the folds of the robe to the weave of the basket. That was a real satisfaction for me and great emotion.
Michele Garbin is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1991
Works
Where
Michele Garbin
