The unique jewels of Massimo Izzo, jeweler and sculptor of Syracuse inspired by tradition and the Mediterranean Sea ♦
About Massimo Izzo wrote also the New York Times. From Syracuse to Manhattan distance it is great. Yet the fame of the Sicilian jeweler is like the waves that start at one end of the earth and through all the oceans. The marine metaphor is no accident: the jeweler-artist is, in fact, an admirer of the waves and nature hidden beneath the sea surface. Most of his creations, celebrated around the world and sold in the two boutique in Syracuse and Milan, is dedicated or inspired by what the sea offers. Recently Massimo Izzo was invited by Elisabetta Cipriani gallery, London to create a series of works following his original aesthetic and superb craftsmanship which would further push his imagination and creativity. The result is six rings of great impact, made with blackened silver, sapphires and hypnotic opals.
A truly amazing story, that of Izzo. Born in Messina, but grew up in Syracuse, he said that at 14 he was already fascinated by jewelry. Before moving on international stage, he start from the art school of the State of Syracuse, where he followed an experimental program in jewelery, and has worked for Salvatore Cassone, the largest jeweler in Syracuse. After learning the craft to the bottom, the Sicilian designer has soared thanks to an unusual order: the engraving of a silver plate on the occasion of the visit to the city of Pope John Paul II.
He has also worked with another famous Sicilian, the Oscar-winning director Giuseppe Tornatore, who commissioned the jewelry worn by Monica Bellucci in the film Malena. The jewels of the Sea collection are made in 18 carat gold and represent octopuses, sea urchins, crabs, starfish. All pieces are refined and processed rhapsody of colors and shapes, often using raw gemstones: resemble most to sculptures than simple jewelery. His work has been compared to that of another great Sicilian jeweler Fulco di Verdura, although the style is completely different. Sure, you can read in the work of Izzo a scent of Sicilian Baroque architecture that gave an impression of entire neighborhoods of the island city. And it is a style that has fascinated, according to his account, even Santo Versace, Tim Burton and JK Rowling. It is not hard to believe.
