61-year-old Ciro Califano, from Italy’s Nocera Inferiore, is one of the world’s most incredible artists, with the power to turn corks into beautiful works of art.
A former postal worker, who lived most his life traveling between Milan, Naples and Nocera, Ciro Califano has always had artistic ambitions. Even as a child, growing up in the Italian countryside, he always dreamed of exercising his talents and leaving his mark on the art world. And ten years ago, after his sons opened a local restaurant called “Cantina del Vescovo”(Bishop’s Cellar), he finally decided to exploit his gift as a sculptor. The fast accumulation of wine bottle corks was just the right pretext, and before he knew it, Ciro was creating cork miniature replicas of ancient wonders like the Roman aqueduct in Nimes, France, the Saracen Tower, the Church of Monte Albino, and many others.
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
The passionate artist spends a great deal of time on each of his creations, recreating them in great detail, from the inner chambers, to the spiraling staircases and outside design. Since that’s where most of his work material came from, Ciro soon moved his art studio’s into his sons’ restaurant, making it a favorite attractions for art lovers. He uses all kinds of tools to make his cork masterpieces, including very sharp knives, rulers and glue. To complete a single sculpture, Califano works over a year, using between 5,000 and 10,000 corks. Before actually starting work on his sculptures, he studies the history of each building he’s trying to replicate, decides on the scale, and only then starts sculpting the model.
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
Ciro Califano’s latest masterpiece is a miniature replica of the Colosseum, made from 10,000 corks, which took him around two years to finish. “My task is to revive the antiquity, the flavor of times long passed, the importance of a culture that threatens to disappear”, Ciro told Italian newspaper, La Cità.
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
Photo © Luigi Pepe/ANSA
