CODROIPO
Gold for him was the most precious material. A material to be shaped to create jewels that were real works of art. The goldsmith and sculptor Piero De Martin died at the age of 67, in the Latisana hospital, after battling against an illness he was diagnosed with a month ago.
Born in Castions di Strada, the municipality where he lived with his family, he worked in Codroipo where, in via Italia, he had his art gallery which he managed together with his wife Angela.
He had been a goldsmith’s art teacher at the “Giovanni Sello” art school in Udine, in the jewelery design section. “He had retired a year ago – says his daughter Lia – but he had remained deeply attached to all his boys. He was very fond of teaching ”.
De Martin was internationally known for his creativity and the inventiveness of his creations characterized by shapes that represented spatiality, harmony and research.
In 1986, on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the earthquake in Friuli, he created the gold sculpture for the Honorable Giuseppe Zamberletti and in 1991 the medal for honorary citizenship conferred by the municipal administration of Codroipo on Cardinal Glemp.
For 5 consecutive years, from 1999 to 2004, it won the “Vote the most beautiful jewel” award organized by the Udine trade fair administration; in 2005 he was awarded by the Udine Chamber of Commerce with a gold medal for artistic activities. From 2000 to 2002, in the context of Vicenza Oro, together with Dino Del Zotto, he was among the finalists of the international competition “Word Council” jewelery design.
In 2008 he created an architectural journey linked to the history of Palmanova with a personal exhibition of material works and jewels inspired by the particular architecture of the Venetian fortress city.
In 2013 he designed the logo for the 110th anniversary of the Baths of Lignano Sabbiadoro and also designed and created the sculpture for the Hemingway Award in Lignano Sabbiadoro, the municipality in which he had opened his “AuriFontana” gallery.
In 2014 he created a personal exhibition at the Napoleonic powder magazine of Palmanova presenting an unprecedented itinerary of jewels and sculptural works, entirely dedicated to the fortress city.
And then there was the passion for painting and above all for music. De Martin played bass and double bass in the Soul Orchestra. “He was a volcano – says Lia – always full of ideas and enthusiasm, always ready to organize something new. The city of his heart was Dubai where he was also called to be part of a jury in a competition. We will miss him dearly.”