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Gabriella Gabrini

Gabriella Gabrini Metal enameller
Contact
Italian, English
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+39 049650731
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The lady of enamel with an African soul

  • • Gabriella's grandfather was a goldsmith, her mother a ceramicist
  • • She has worked with big names including Melotti and Fornasetti
  • • The art of enamel developed in Egypt to decorate jewels

A sheet of paper and a piece of charcoal: this is where the creative process of Gabriella Gabrini, a master of enamelled metal, begins. With each stroke, her objects come to life, and when the sketch is completed, Gabriella copies the drawing on to a new sheet of paper and starts working. She likes to work quickly, and her immense curiosity is not easily reconciled with the long making process required of other materials, such as ceramics, which she used to work with after graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice, before turning to metal enamelling. “I have to be patient, because otherwise I could not work in this craft, but at the same time I am eager to discover how my creations develop.”

Read the full interview

Works

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Rosa del deserto

In 1997, Gabriella created and dedicated five works to five women who had achieved excellence in their fields. “Rosa del deserto” is a tribute to Italian astrophysicist Margherita Hack. The sculpture, which is on permanent display in the Palazzo del Monte di Pietà in Padua, symbolises the constant renewal of nature in the cycle of life.

Length 35 cm
Width 33 cm
Height 14 cm

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Melagrana e chicchi

This set of enamelled bowls drew inspiration from the pomegranate. A recurring theme in Gabriella’s enamels, this Asian fruit is regarded in many cultures as a symbol of abundance and fertility.

Length 38 cm
Width 25 cm
Height 10 cm

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Navicella per elfi

In recent years, Gabriella has reworked and analysed the importance of form. This set of red and black enamel sculptures exemplifies her use of enamel not as a source of lightness, transparency and brightness but rather as a source of depth.

Length 37 cm
Width 25 cm
Height 10 cm

Photo:
Mormorio del tempo

This pair of “shells” is made of enamelled copper and 24k gold. The combination of enamel and copper creates the illusion of mother-of-pearl, while the water-like fluidity of the surfaces suggests the fleetingness of time.

Length 31 cm
Width 20 cm
Height 12 cm

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