How would you define what you do?
I create art. I have my brand, “La Perla Veneziana”, through which I sell beads and necklaces, but I also have other lines of production. I work with fashion designers, creating exclusive pieces for their collections, and I have a line of beads made out of exclusively recycled materials.
Could you tell us something about your work that people don’t normally know?
Jewellery making is considered a feminine craft, but what I actually do is handle boiling matter and work with a furnace. My great-grandmother believed that men and women only differ in the fact that men eat more: it was a very forward idea back then, it has led men and women in our family to learn how to do everything, regardless of gender.
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How has your work evolved over the years?
Bead-making in Venice is something very common, a lot of people do it. When my mother saw our work exhibited at the tradeshows in Paris, she couldn’t believe we had managed to take it so far. Today there are several women working with me: I started training them when they were 15, now they are 40, we grew together.
What do you think of the jewellery culture in Italy today?
In general, a jewel is considered relevant only if it is gold or made in other precious materials. Costume jewellery isn’t considered important, its artistic value and the work behind it is simply not acknowledged. However in 2020, glass-bead making has become a UNESCO heritage craft.