What is your workday like?
I’m pretty much a morning person. I get up at 5:30/6:00. At 7:00/7:30 I’m in the shop or in the foundries; there’s time to get changed and have coffee with my colleagues, then at 8:00 it’s time to start. We work until 12:00/12:30 and then have a break for 30 minutes /1 hour. When there’s a lot of work and deadlines are tight, I only stop for 15 minutes, just enough time to eat a sandwich. We start working again until 17:30 /18:00 most of the time, but it often happens that we have to continue until late at night.
Why might a young person choose this profession today?
It’s very hard, dangerous work that implies a certain degree of attention, determination, passion and outstanding artistic sensitivity. There aren’t very many young people who want to start this career. You have to be aware that many times there are no Saturdays or Sundays, and you have to be willing to make sacrifices. I think that a young person ought to choose this career because you learn a lot, you get to know people from cultures that are different than ours, you can travel and all day long you deal with “beauty”. It’s also very satisfying to receive compliments from clients for the quality of your work and know that you have contributed to making a monument that will be part of the history of a country and its people.
What type of clients do you have?
We mainly work with artists and sculptors, but we also do business with architects and engineers, churches, private parties and public organizations. There is a strong bond between the artistic foundry M.A.F. in Pioltello, and we collaborate with them. I take care of customer relations, with our rapport with the artists, and I am mainly concerned with the last part of the process: chasing, patinas and assembly.
Have you ever met famous artists or had important commissions?
I have met many artists and I hope to meet more in the course of my career. It’s wonderful to spend the day with them. They can teach you a lot, both in human terms as well as in the field of work. In some circumstances, the artist–client can also become an exceptional friend. This is the case with Kyoji Nagatani, a Japanese artist with whom I formed a strong working as well as human bond. I have a lot of esteem for him first of all as a person, and then I really admire him as a sculptor. His works are truly gems. As far as commissions are concerned, they are all important, in my opinion – from those that are 10 cm to those that are 16 m. Knowing that, once cast, the work will become part of an important cultural project is also awe-inspiring to me. At present, I have commissions in the shop from a sculptor for works from 5 to 30 metres, and I truly hope that they can be finished before long.
What channels do you use to promote your business?
The best is by word of mouth, through clients. Undoubtedly internet does its part, but nowadays, the foundries here in northern Italy can be counted on one hand, and direct knowledge is the best tool.
What space do you think should be given to young people in today’s craftsman scene in Italy?
Unfortunately, there is not a lot of space for them. Today a young craftsman has a lot of obstacles to overcome: technology, growing bureaucracy, as well as taxes and the lack of work. We can also add the difficult situation of the market in Italy, which is almost saturated and practically at a stalemate. On the other hand, however, in some towns, for example in Tuscany, we can see positive movement in the direction of rediscovering the world of the foundry by tourists, who are motivated to visit them through fascinating itineraries. I want to say this to all young people: always trust in yourselves, always believe in what you are doing and do not stop in the face of any obstacle. Life is hard, and if you want to make your way in the world, be humble, well-mannered and make yourself known for what you know how to do. Sooner or later, someone will take you seriously and one day that someone could be you.
Unfortunately, or by chance, I was not lucky enough to have a well-established business, because my father’s clients are old and business ran out with him. I worked for three years without pay to rebuild the workshop and I had to look for new clients. Fortunately today, at the age of twenty-three, I’m attaining what I’ve always pursued. Be patient!