Le Arti Orafe

School / Design Making ComputerTechnologies Technics ProfessionalPractice

Published: 20.10.2021

: Le Arti Orafe. Via dei Serragli 104
50124 - Florence
ITALY

: Website Le Arti Orafe

Mail:: infoartiorafe.it

Phone:: +39 055 22 80 131

Management:: Giò Carbone

Established in 1985 by Giò Carbone, LAO was the first Italian school devoted to the study of jewellery culture, and to the contemporary practice in jewellery creation, and since the very beginning has encouraged and promoted a learning process emphasizing technical and professional skills, combined with artistic research and contemporary design. The concept of jewellery has evolved in surprising ways since the Seventies of the 20th century, with the advent of artists and goldsmiths who conducted their research.

LAO - Le Arti Orafe Jewellery School, Florence.
An educational project.

The contemporary vision has broken into the jewellery world, shaking it from its old and “dusty” image. The methods, the processes, the functions, the meanings and the social use of jewels, the way of teaching and learning about jewellery have deeply changed, together with its instruments and communication, and since its foundation, LAO has been a reference for this constant evolution. Through and thanks to the didactic activities, LAO brought in Italy the study and the acquaintance of contemporary jewellery research, primarily through our original and innovative teaching method, and in parallel with an intense cultural activity, since the 80s covered the organization of meetings and conferences, exhibitions, workshops with international artists and creators, so as to realize a favourable environment for the diffusion of study tools that up that moment had no any space in Italy.

This pioneering work has created the conditions for the diffusion and knowledge of contemporary jewellery in Italy, for the formation of goldsmiths with an innovative vision, and has served as an example for many small schools that have begun to be founded here and there in Italy since the late '90.

Educational Programs and courses
Studying, learning, experimenting without limits or boundaries.
In the early ‘80s the jewellery companies and crafts studios were beginning a renewal process, but there were no jewellery schools in Italy to support and integrate this big change. LAO was set up to respond to the need for training felt in many areas, and provided an innovative vision of the notions and techniques of jewellery creation.
LAO invented and experimented with a training programme that put the stress on anti-conventional reworking of traditional procedures and techniques, combining the knowledge of artisan practices with contemporary concepts, exploring the creative use of traditional materials and introducing other, completely innovative ones. This teaching method soon became a model, and rewarded with the arrival in Florence of hundreds of students from all over the world.
Nowadays the school is one of the most important in Europe, it is an Accredited European Training Agency, and an Authorized entity for Erasmus projects.

Students
Hundreds of students of all ages and from over the world have come to our school. Our students (approximately 60 every year) come from all over the world: this meeting of different cultures and traditions creates the best possible environment for profitable periods of study which often give rise to lasting friendships and future working relationships.

The commitment of LAO in the promotion of Jewellery Culture
LAO has always stood out because of its activities in promoting jewellery culture, and since many years organizes exhibitions, conferences, meetings related to contemporary research jewellery. LAO has introduced in Italy the knowledge and exploration of contemporary jewellery, not only in the educational field but also with the collateral initiatives that characterize this unique school. Since its founding LAO has managed events, invited internationally renowned artists for lectures and conferences, organized exhibitions, and promoted the spread of instruments of study and knowledge that previously had no place in Italy.

A cultural project: PREZIOSA Contemporary Jewellery
In 2005, once again with a genius intuition and the enthusiastic people, we decided to make a leap forward, with the launch of the PREZIOSA exhibition project. PREZIOSA was the first Italian exhibition project repeated all along the years, and since 2008 with the collateral contest/exhibition “PREZIOSA YOUNG” www.preziosa.org

Artists, who take part in PREZIOSA, and other designers, teachers, critics, with which the school had or have cooperation for lecturers, long-term courses, workshops, exhibitions, and projects.

Panjapol Jivan Astfalck, Giampaolo Babetto, Robert Baines, Gijs Bakker, Friedrich Becker, Noam Ben–Jacov, Helen Britton, David Bielander, Frédéric Braham, Sigurd Bronger, Sebastian Buescher, Peter Chang, Bifei Cao, Giovanni Corvaja, Johanna Dahm, Georg Dobler, Andi Gut, Naomi Filmer, Nora Fok, Karl Fritsch, Sophie Hanagarth, Yasuki Hiramatsu, Mari Ishikawa, Svenja John, Wang Kezhen, Nel Linssen, Suska Mackert, Kadri Mälk, Stefano Marchetti, Sally Marsland, Bruno Martinazzi, Xavier Monclús, Mimì Moscow, Eija Mustonen, Erico Nagai, Evert Nijland, Ted Noten, Renzo Pasquale, Francesco Pavan, Ruudt Peters, Mario Pinton, Annelies Planteijdt, Katja Prins, Mah Rana, Gerd Rothmann, Jacqueline Ryan, Philip Sajet, Marjorie Schick, Karin Seufert, Peter Skubic, Vera Siemund, Janna Syvänoja, Tanel Veenre, Graziano Visintin, Lisa Walker, David Watkins, Annamaria Zanella, Christoph Zellweger, Wang Zhenghong, Petra Holscher, Inger Wästberg, Martina Dempf, Maria Cristina Bergesio, Roberta Bernabei, Maria Laura La Mantia, Shruti Agrawal, Kevin Murray, Fuchi Arata, Tasso Mattar, Sibylle Umlauf, Danni Schwaag, Erik Tidäng, Lena Jerström, Tobias Birgersson, Klara Eriksson, Petronella Eriksson, Pernilla Sylwan, Maki Okamoto, Sally Collins, Eva Franceschini, Sina Emrich, Fuchi Arata, Daniela Hedman, Mirjam Hiller, Vaishali Ashok Morjaria, Kathryn Partington, Claudia Rinneberg, Sonja Christine Seidl, Julia Walter, Daniel Di Caprio, Estela Vilanova Saez, Lisa Grassivaro, Nora Rochel, Pia Pasalk, Sharon Massey,Taisuke Nakada, Tamsin Leighton-Boyce, Melissa Cameron, Eve Cheryl, Yoshie Enda, Adam Grinovich, Monica Haneckova, Erin Keys, Sooyeon Kim, Sachiko Shouji, Sam Hamilton, Hanna Hedman, Lisa Juen, Heejoo Kim, Seul-Gi Kwon, Marie Pendariès, Elena Ruebel, Wan Hee Cho, Rob Elford, Benedikt Fischer, Kulpapangkorn, Chiara Scarpitti, Antje Stolz, Lauren Vanessa Tickle, Sang Deok Han, Jie Sun, Tithi Kutchamuch, Seoyeon Lee, Fang Jin Yeh, Qian Wang, Shachar Cohen, Xiaodai Huang, Anahita Anasseri, Ashkan Behjou, Atoosa Mokhaberi, Baharak Omidfar, Beaina Minasvand, Ghazaleh Nasseri, Mahnaz Seyed Ekhtiary, Mehrnoosh Ganji, Narges Asadinejad, Nikoo Nooriyan, Niloofar Naadi, Saiedeh Davoudi, Shahrzad Aliyari Maleki, Sharmagh Eskandarian, Yajie Hu, Koen Jacobs, Jongseok Lim.