Gioia Clavenzani & Ivano Ghinelli

JAD - Jewellery

Jewellery maker

©Inigo Taylor

The beauty of raw materials

Gioia and Ivano share a passion for jewellery
Ivano's family is from Valenza in Italy’s ‘gold district’
Gioia uses a unique wire-working technique

While Gioia Clavenzani and Ivano Ghinelli hail from very different personal and professional backgrounds, their jewellery workshop represents an effortless blend of their unique traits that, when combined, bring to life one-of-a-kind pieces of jewellery. For Ivano, what they create together represents the culmination of a family story that began years ago with his father, an experienced jewellery maker and designer, while for Gioia, their craft reminds her of being a high school art student. Specialised in a multitude of jewellery making techniques, namely stone-setting, goldsmithery, and intricate metal wire work, they opened their first studio and workshop together in the hamlet of Città della Pieve in Perugia, Italy. Nature and contemporary art represent their greatest inspiration, reflected in both the materials and textures of their creations.

Interview

©Inigo Taylor

©Inigo Taylor

How is your craft linked to your home region?: Gioia: Our works draw upon differing sources of inspiration, mainly linked to nature and to contemporary art. Maltese nature is strong and in many ways rugged. Its primordial elements and natural materials are evident and highlighted in many of our works. Our jewellery crafted with wire is connected to the traditional Maltese filigree heritage.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: Ivano: In part, yes. Goldsmithery is quickly evolving with the use of 3D projecting and printing, as well as laser cutting and engraving. Even at small workshop level, most of the traditional skills will become optional. Stone setting has changed with the use of microscopes and pneumatic power tools, the manual proficiency and accuracy needed in the past is no longer a necessity.
What is a memorable moment in your professional life?: Ivano: Our solo exhibition “Southern Depths – Northern Lights” in 2020. Conceptual jewellery solo exhibitions are not that frequent as they usually gather a number of artists working around the same concept. I am proud that we successfully built a coherent body of work around a concept, showing how conceptual jewellery can give its small contribution to the art world.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: Gioia: In terms of tradition, this is definitely expressed through our knowledge and use of age-old techniques and tools. In terms of innovation, besides our innovative use of traditional Maltese wires and filigree, we also assign great importance to the materials we use and how we treat the surfaces.

Gioia Clavenzani & Ivano Ghinelli are expert artisans: they began their career in 1978