In its own way it is a romantic story, it has the elements: the sea, walks on the shore, the search for shells, a skillful art to satisfy and which gives gratification. The protagonist is Andrea Cadoni, a goldsmith by profession: necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets, belts and buckles in gold and silver with rich and chiseled shapes with the use of finely carved stones and shells combined with other natural materials of the island area such as wood of juniper. Small works of art that conquer the world.
You have just been on tour to present your jewels.
«I returned last week from Riyadh to Saudi Arabia, invited to the first edition of the International Craft Week, the Bonan. My work was noticed at the Artigiano in Fiera di Milano last December. Together with me, the only Sardinian, there were 3 other Italian companies. My jewels have enthused the public and the local media, who have dedicated articles and interviews to me. And I received collaboration proposals to teach my art. It was an experience that enriched and inspired me: the comparison with the Arab world surprises me for the similarities with Sardinian culture and craftsmanship».
What is his training?
«I thank my mother, she saw artistic aptitudes in me and spurred me towards the art institute of Alghero for coral sculpture. I later opened my business in the mining village of Montecchio, the town where I grew up and where the omnipresent nature was my first teacher and source of inspiration. It was 2003. My challenge was to believe in the tourist development of the mines, which never happened. So I looked for alternatives to make my work known, such as participating in national and international craft exhibitions. In 2012 the opening of the studio in Cagliari. The working of metals, as a self-taught, was a consequence to develop my concept of jewel sculpture».
What emotions does the sea give you?
«I love the sea, I frequent it and I have always lived it. It's a shelter that makes me feel good even and especially when it's stormy. By chance I picked up a shell rich in matter, I saw the face of a Sardinian woman closed in a veil. The shell was very hard, harder than marble, which was the reason for research into new manufacturing techniques. The risk of breaking them, the ability to exploit all the material available and to arrive at a polish such as to make the shells shine naturally were the most difficult obstacles to overcome. and still today, after 20 years of experience, I continue to experiment and develop new ideas. Over time I realized that no one works glycymeris glycymeris (a genus of shell, ed) and this made me discover a completely new profession».
Was there a turning point?
«Yes, the discovery of the body of little Snow, a girl from 10,000 years ago, whose ornament was a shell around her neck: I clearly felt that I had in my hands a red thread that links my art to an endless time. I like to believe that in my sculptures there is prehistoric, Greco-Roman, Gothic and Renaissance art, but also baroque, romantic, neoclassical. In the meantime, I continue to risk new forms and techniques. The result is not just a jewel to wear, but a work with a story to live».
The beach that has become its treasure chest?
«Montevecchio is lucky enough to dominate one of the most beautiful and wild coasts of Sardinia, the Costa Verde. And Piscinas is the largest desert in Europe. Here is the principle of the union between me, the shell and the sea».
Which appreciation do you care the most about?
«Milan Fair. A girl chooses a jewel and then explains that she had been in love with my work for 4 years and that every month she put something aside to be able to buy one. She's a worker."
And a famous person who owns one of his jewels?
“Pope Francis has one of my shells: it fills me with emotion. Furthermore, the Cini Foundation in Venice has included me in the Homo Faber guide, among the 400 best craftsmen in Europe».
John Follesa
