Galleria d’arte moderna Giovanni Caramdente
Giorgio Facchini
Spoleto 2022
Biography
Giorgio Facchini was born in Fano in 1947. From a young age, he cultivated his interest in drawing and, while still at school, attended his uncle's goldsmith’s workshop, where he learned cuttlefish bone casting and the fundamental techniques of the craft.
After graduating from the Fano Art Institute, he continued his training in Venice. His first works were informal pieces of jewelry, created using cuttlebone casting, followed by more spatial creations.
His first solo exhibition was held in 1966 at the Galleria Fanesi in Ancona, with a catalog introduction by Edgardo Mannucci.
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Giorgio Facchini
1970 Parigi
In 1972, he exhibited at Drummonds jewelry store in Melbourne, and in 1973, he won first prize in the "Diamanti Oggi" competition organized by De Beers in Milan. During these years, his connection with the Festival dei Due Mondi in Spoleto grew stronger, and in 1974 he created the gold medal commissioned for the Festival by Countess Alicia Paolozzi.
That same year, he held a solo exhibition at the Wichita Art Association Galleries in Kansas, USA.
Early Success:
the first years
In 1967, Facchini won first prize at the Bevilacqua La Masa Exhibition in Venice; the following year, he participated in the 34th Biennale – Decorative Arts Pavilion, winning joint first prize.
In 1969, he began researching kinetic jewelry and was invited to Paris by Pierre Cardin to present his creations at the Autumn/Winter collection. That same year, he won the "Minister of Tourism and Entertainment" Silver Cup at the 5th Biennale d'Arte del Metallo in Gubbio..
Between 1970 and 1973, he participated in the most important exhibitions dedicated to artist jewelry, at Italian galleries and institutions such as the Milan Triennale, exhibiting alongside Ceroli, Consagra, Capogrossi, Pomodoro, Franchina, and Carrino.
"Presence in a space, lyrical mechanism in motion"
Necklace in yellow and white gold with precious stones.
Sole copy, 1969
Haute Couture Pierre Cardin Paris Giorgio Facchini
Exhibitions and International Awards
In the 1980s he returned to Melbourne with a solo exhibition, and presented silver jewelry at the Pinacoteca di Macerata, followed by exhibitions at the Galleria del Naviglio in Venice.
In 1987, he received a prestigious commission from the Italian government: a sculpture in twenty-one copies for the 13th meeting of the G7, held in Venice.
In the 1990s, he participated in the Oro d'Autore exhibitions in Arezzo and Buenos Aires, exhibited again at the Naviglio in Venice, and took part in group exhibitions at the Galleria Extra Moenia in Todi. In 1997, the Archaeological Museum of Milan held a significant solo exhibition dedicated to Facchini, titled “Gioielli, sculture, oggetti, medaglie”.
"Embracing" (G7 meeting in Venice), 1987 Silver and Perspex, 21 copies
Giorgio Facchini
The Artist’s Progress: a constant dialogue with the world
Since 2001, Facchini has been featured in major international exhibitions, including "The Art of Jewellery and Artist Jewellery from the 20th Century to Today" at the Museo degli Argenti in Palazzo Pitti (Florence) and "Immaginazione Aurea" at the Mole Vanvitelliana in Ancona. He was invited to the 24th Gubbio Sculpture Biennial (2005) and participated in the G.B. Salvi International Exhibition in Sassoferrato (2006).
In 2009, he exhibited at the Gaffoglio Museum in Rapallo in an exhibition dedicated to Italian sculpture in contemporary jewelry. This was followed by a solo exhibition at the Galleria Sturni in Rome (2010) and, in 2018, the major exhibition "Jewels as Sculptures / Sculptures as Jewels" at the "Giovanni Carandente" Gallery of Modern Art in Spoleto. He has also participated in numerous international group exhibitions at Didier Ltd (London and Paris), Miami Basel, Mahnaz Collection, and Barneys in New York.
In 2019, he was included in the “Scultura Aurea” exhibition at the Palazzo Ducale in Urbino. In 2020, he held a solo exhibition, “The Art of Jewelry”, at the Collectors Gallery in Brussels. He has since been featured in important fairs such as Art Élysées – Art Design in Paris and Brafa Art Fair in Brussels. In 2024, the Mahnaz Collection Gallery in New York hosted the solo exhibition “Facchini’s Jewels 1967–2024”.
Teaching and Critical Contributions
From 1974 to 1993, Facchini taught Plastic Arts, Sculpture, and Contemporary Jewelry at the Academy of Fine Arts in Macerata, and then continued his teaching career at the Brera Academy (Milan) from 1994 to 2007.
Numerous critics and scholars have written about his work, including Ermanno Arslan, Alba Cappellieri, Silvana Bernasconi, Carlo Bo, Mauro Corradini, Enrico Crispoldi, Edgardo Mannucci, Mariastella Margozzi, Vittorio Brandi Rubiu, Paola Stroppiana, Tommaso Trini, Marco Tonelli, Federica Facchini, Gianluca Marziani, and Saverio Verini.
