His story has its roots in Orani, the town where he was born. There he was able to observe, live and experience the art of iron from an early age, when as a child he peeped into his father's workshop. Those techniques, that life lived among the dust of metal and the tools of the trade left a deep mark in the heart of Roberto Ziranu, who then decided to continue on the path traced by the family, sometimes taking the secondary roads of experimentation, but parallel to that teacher. Ziranu is a fifth generation blacksmith. Today he lives in Nuoro, where he built his creative forge, mother of his now famous works all over the world. His story is the protagonist of the third episode of Mani di Sardegna, the format signed by Unionesarda.it dedicated to the artisans of the island.
Backed by countless awards and goals achieved over time «sometimes I too wonder how all this came about . I am the youngest of the Ziranu dynasty . Among them I was the least inclined to choose this profession , in fact I embarked on the road to university», he continues. But the loss of his brother Angelo, which deeply shook him, led him to abandon the academic path to retrace his steps and review his priorities. «So I worked for three years with my father , they were wonderful years because I was able to get to know him well . At 21 I opened my first shop . I don't know what I had in mind at the time, perhaps the desire to understand what I wanted to be when I grew up. And then I experienced this journey and then ran alone. I believed in myself and looked beyond, not thinking that life somehow had to give me something».
And having bet on his own dream , never sparing himself, today rewards Ziranu who reaps the fruits of that «my being a bizarre boy , sometimes a bit whimsical but with strong values and important teachings . After 33 years I can define myself as a blacksmith sculptor who talks about iron in a new way, making it come alive». « This matter is part of me, I was born into it . She is considered cold and poor, devoid of emotion. But – with her – I think I am almost predestined». And even if now the initials "RZR" stand out on the bright and colored surface of the iconic metal sails and corsets, the real beginning was with the skewers, which he created - at the age of 7 - to set aside «two pennies ». Just 18 years old then the arrival of the first mannequins, with which the studies were paid. And from there the participation in important shows and exhibitions, which have allowed the artist to get to know some of the most important names in the sector.
«I also leave behind intense years of research. I experienced a moment of rest, followed by a long phase of experimentation. Until new ideas and shapes arrived, born out of tradition anyway: like that of my grandfather's hoe that he built for the farmers. I transformed it and from there the bodice was born, perhaps the creation that, more than the Sails, gives me something. Behind these sculptures are the women who have paid homage to Sardinia around the world». The color on the iron, which embellishes Ziranu's creations, does not arrive immediately. Peeps into his lab after a difficult search. «After various attempts, the first shades arrived, and everything started from there. When you discover the way to delimit the color on the ferrous surface... you discover new magic that must be shared and lived».
In the life of the blacksmith sculptor from Orani, however, there was not only the influence of home and work. There was also that of a famous fellow villager, famous throughout the world for his art: Costantino Nivola. «I had the pleasure of knowing him when he returned from America to Sardinia. I remember him fondly, he never forgot where he came from. I have two things in common with him: my origins and having grown up in artisan families. I don't know if he brought me luck, it is certain that there is something magical in that town».
