Since the mid 1960s, Giampaolo Babetto has been a leading figure in the Avant-Garde goldsmiths’ scene. As one of the renowned veterans of the Padua School, he has greatly influenced the world of art jewellery in Italy and beyond. His artistic range extends beyond jewellery, encompassing silver objects, furniture design, and architectural projects.
Each piece of jewellery I create becomes a part of me. It is a constant challenge because it must be a living object, not just a display piece, and it must radiate even more beauty when adorned on a woman’s neck, wrist, or fingers. – Giampaolo Babetto
Babetto’s work is a reflection of various contemporary art movements such as concrete art, minimal art, kinetic art, and pop art, all created with a purist and plastic approach. His designs are instantly recognizable for their simplicity and clean lines. He draws inspiration from the architecture of his homeland, particularly the villas by Palladio, and finds poetic beauty in geometry. His jewellery is innovative, made up of abstract elements, modular units, or ingenious links, giving them an architectural or sculptural quality. Babetto’s preferred medium is gold, known for its malleability and warm sheen, which he combines with unconventional materials like plastic, glass, and ebony. He also incorporates vibrant primary colors like red and blue through dusted pigments or uses enamel and traditional niello-based techniques. These materials serve to highlight and contrast the increasingly pure and essential geometrical forms that are synonymous with the Padua School.
The artist attains an individual artistic lexicon in which the utilization of geometric shapes is directed towards complete minimalism, with keen attention on the concept stripped of all mere ornamentation. For Babetto, the approach is systematic, introspective, and logical; its execution, on the other hand, is impulsive, swift, and impassioned. “I am a fusion of rationality and spontaneity. When a concept or idea consumes my mind, I strive to actualize it in the most direct manner possible. Once I have discovered the mechanism, I dedicate myself entirely to its swift achievement.” The outcome is compositions brought to the farthest point of form and line, enabling viewers to instantly perceive the formal tension and impact of the design. Each one exudes his passions, his adoration for architecture, and his exceptional eye for detail.
www.ftn-books.com has one Babetto publication available.
