The Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Venice
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Indenting Emotions
Printer, Photographer and Bookbinder
Paolo Olbi's artisanal journey is an inspirational one. Having started out binding books for friends in Venice, Olbi developed his skill, growing his business over time, and firmly setting himself on a trajectory to work for the great Venetian Libraries and beyond.
From ancient tomes, and a journey through Turkey, Alberto Valese was able to learn the Ebrù technique's secrets and skills. From his workshop, Valese has developed a style that draws inspiration from Venice's unique qualities.
For a decade art photographer, Vittorio Pavan's today focus is the Cameraphoto Archive, which houses over 300,000 photographs of Venice's glorious past, ranging from the 1940s onwards. Pavan's archive presents a candid glimpse into Venice's history, from glamorous movie stars at the Venice film festival to world-famous artists at the Biennales, attending the Venice film festival.
PAOLO OLBI
Made in Venice
Born in the heart of Venice and one of its last artisan leather bookbinders, Olbi is a testament to Venice's reputation as a city of artisans and imagination. He has spent his lifetime working in Venice, and is proud that his creations can only be found at his boutique.
PAOLO OLBI
Venetian Inspiration
I was a landscape painter when I was young, and I have been able to bring that same creativity into the work I do now. Everything to do with my craft is inspired by Venice.
PAOLO OLBI
A Mechanic’s Mentality
The truly satisfying aspect of my job is that I never get tired of doing what I do. It is always a pleasure to come to work, because I chose a profession that I enjoy.
My father's dream was for me to have a normal job, which would have been a nightmare for me as I prefer a life in which I am able to express myself in my own particular way. Working in an office would have been impossible for me, due to this desire to create.
If I hadn't chosen bookbinding, I would have been a mechanic because I have a mechanic's mentality in the work that I do. I care a lot about precision. Inspired by Venice and its glass industry I have been able to apply my skills to create book covers with glass.
PAOLO OLBI
Why is craftsmanship important in today’s world?
Artisan craftsmanship is important because we set in motion ideas that otherwise would not see the light of day. Artists create work, like paintings for example, which can be shared and appreciated at home or with friends. We artisans have the power to put an object, something beautiful, something artistic, in the hands of those who will hopefully enjoy using it for many years to come.
My advice to young artisans would be to follow their aspirations, without fear, and above all to learn to be modest. I am interested in everything related to my field, from carpentry to mechanics, because the cross-pollination of ideas can take craft to a whole new level. If you have imagination and skill, combine the discovery of new materials with your curiosity.
ALBERTO VALESE
Painting on water
The art of paper marbling, mastered by Alberto Valese, was born in China and Japan in the 1300s and made its way to Persia and Turkey via the Silk Road, where it flourished under the Ottoman master craftsmen and was known as ‘Ebrù' (the Turkish word for ‘cloud').
ALBERTO VALESE
A Creative Journey
I first became interested in the craft through a 19th century French book on marbling. It then took me over a year to decode the ancient methods. When I opened my first shop in 1977, I was the only person to be practising my technique, working first on paper then moving to silk and three dimensional objects.
ALBERTO VALESE
How has Venice influenced your craft?
The colour, tranquility and silence are a constant source of inspiration for me. I come from a family of Venetian artisans, my grandfather opened a foundry here, and it still bears our name to this day. I grew up, made friends and developed as an artist in the neighbourhood between Campo Santo Stefano and San Samuele. I still like to go and watch the world go by in the lagoon on my boat. Living in Venice has put me at the heart of an environment of artistic craftsmanship, and I am all the happier for it.
What I find extraordinary in this work is that everything is unique and everything must always be prepared with care. Even if I wrote down how many drops of this or that I need, the results would be different each time because the weather, the humidity, the mood - everything changes. Each sheet is always a new sheet. It is not a job that can be rushed - you need a sense of calm and the process can even be meditative.
ALBERTO VALESE
The Ebrù technique
The Ebrù technique involves pouring colours so that they float on a dense jelly-like liquid sometimes made from Icelandic lichen. The drawings are created on the liquid and the paper is gently placed on the surface. The colour moves from the surface onto the paper and the process is repeated. Each sheet of paper takes around 5 to 6 steps.
VITTORIO PAVAN
Artisanal Photographer & Archivist
Vittorio Pavan's archive holds over 300,000 photographs, and it is his lifelong quest to immortalise them all and open up this incredible library in its entirety to the public. The monumental task of preserving, cataloguing and making these images widely available is a complicated and intense process which demands an artisanal eye and masterful understanding of the craft.
VITTORIO PAVAN
What is your favourite process within your craft?
Though it is one of the more arduous processes in my craft, perfecting the illumination of the works of art I capture, is something that gives me great satisfaction. The more difficult the location of the art, the greater the challenge - some of them are placed inside dark and tight church chapels, and others have a very large surface.
Calculating the right placement of the lamps to illuminate a painting, while avoiding reflections and with uni-form light over the entire surface is a difficult task. I have had to create bespoke lighting rigs in almost impossible situations.
GIANPAOLO FALLANI
Silkscreen printer
Located in Cannaregio, the large Silkscreen Printing workshop run by Gianpaolo Fallani, is a creative breeding ground where artists' ideas are translated into handcrafted prints of fine artistry and refined elegance.
From the initial and delicate colour choosing phase, to the application of specific pigments to fine tune the shade, the printing process can last several weeks, often defined by the unique temperature and humidity conditions of Venice
GIANPAOLO FALLANI
What is your favourite process within your craft?
Actually, there are two processes that I am very attached to, the most delicate and complex.
The first is the separation of colors, I have to decode them from the artist's original artwork and break up his image into the different hues and shades that I believe I am going to need later in the printing phase.
The second action, which is always very fascinating and pleasant, is the creation of color. I have to mix the printing ink with the different pigments until I get the correct color tone.
GIANPAOLO FALLANI
What inspires you most in your profession?
Surely, the aspect of greatest inspiration in this work is the connection with the artists. Is essential to enter into a relationship with the artists to explain the potential, but also the limits of this technique.
I have to win the trust of the artist I have in front of me, because putting my hands in someone else's work is always a very delicate operation that must be done with the utmost respect. However, this liaison is always very enriching, I believe, for both.