Accademia della Pipa
The Accademia della Pipa (English: ‘Pipe Academy’) is a selective, not-for-profit, educational institution for artisan pipe making that was founded in Italy in 2020. The Accademia’s primary mission is “the creation of a high grade Italian School”, which it pursues through “detecting, training and promoting young talents.”[1]
The Accademia
The Accademia della Pipa was conceived and founded by four veteran Italian pipe makers: Domenico ‘Mimmo’ Romeo, Gabriele Dal Fiume, Davide Iafisco, and Gioacchino Sauro. A long-time dream of the four,[2] the project of the Accademia was set in motion during the lockdowns of the COVID-19, which had barred all but essential travel, severely limiting the ability for pipe makers to meet and to develop their skills and techniques together. This included Mimmo, Dal Fiume, Iafisco, and Sauro, each of whom had previously been tutoring other pipe makers within their individual workshops.
Upon Mimmo’s suggestion,[3] the four decided to establish a space for the continued transmission of knowledge from pipe maker to pipe maker, using videoconferencing software and other forms of online exchange. This knowledge was not limited to that which is applied on the artisan’s bench, but also included the wider “world of art, design, marketing and materials research.”[4] Such was the first iteration the Accademia della Pipa, with Romeo, Dal Fiume, Iafisco, and Sauro acting as its Mastri (English: ‘masters’), and those who were already under their tutelage becoming its first Apprendisti (‘apprentices’). After the lifting of the pandemic lockdowns, the Accademia began organizing in-person teaching and events alongside online study.
While the Accademia was established using a traditional pedagogical structure, it was founded as, and remains, a voluntary association organized around a commitment to a charter of values.[5] As was the case in the old Italian workshops, however, Mastri are Mastri and Apprendisti are Apprendisti; Accademia decisions are made exclusively by its four founding Mastri, including the selection and admission of new members. Admission is considered only for pipe makers who have their own equipment and who have demonstrated significant proficiency in their craft.[6] It should be noted that many of the Accademia's current members and alumni were already highly accomplished pipe makers in their own right prior to their attendance. In this regard, the Accademia has served as a place where pipe makers have gone in order to refine their skills and enhance their knowledge of the world of professional pipe making, rather than a place to 'begin' their pipe making vocation.
Despite its strict hierarchy, the Accademia’s Mastri are keen not to stifle the creativity of their Apprendisti. The founding principles of the Accademia’s charter stress the importance of each pipe maker’s relationship with their own work; each is “one of a kind” and “the expression of the craftsman who built it.”[7] Because of these principles, allowing Apprendisti to explore new designs is a key aspect of the Accademia,[8] as is the attitude that Mastri should refrain from imposing on the choice of designs pursued by their students. Instead, Mastri assess the work of their Apprendisti in terms of values such as precision in engineering and conceptual harmony.[9]
The Accademia is twinned with France’s Confrérie des Maîtres Pipepiers de Saint-Claude (English: ‘Saint Claude Brotherhood of Master Pipe Makers) and partnered with Italy’s Pipe Club Italia. The Accademia is also informally sponsored by Milan’s Al Pascià tobacconist, which showcases and distributes a choice assortment of pipes from the Accademia’s members.
As of the time of writing (September 2023), there are 23 Apprendisti currently studying at the Accademia under the four founding Mastri, along with two visiting Mastri from outside of Italy.[10]
Notable Members and Alumni (listed alphabetically)
- Mastri
- Visiting Mastri
Alumni
- Ambrosi, Arcangelo
- Bacigalupi, Marco
- Bean, Alessandro (Foglia Nera)
- Bozzi, Simone (il Picchio Nero)
- Brentegani, Michele
- Bruno, Emanuele – (Manù)
- Carbini, Daniele (Alinetu)
- Damini, Massimo
- Del Prete, Angelo (il Cerchio)
- Era, Andrea (In Fumo Veritas)
- Fassi, Angelo
- Gallo, Giovanni
- Ganci, Francesco
- Granzotto, Claudio
- Grossi, Stefano
- Lancellotti, Antonio
- Lucca, Alessandro
- Marchesani, Luigi
- Morassut, Manuele (MG pipes)
- Pascolini, Michele (Bisonte Pipe)
- Sottocasa, Michele (la Biota)
- Vitale, Piero
- Zunino, Danilo (Gheppo)
References
- Accademia della Pipa. (2020). Atto costitutivo Accademia della Pipa. Pipe Club Italia, 2020. https://www.pipaclubitalia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CARTA-DEI-VALORI.pdf [Accessed September 2023].
- English language version: https://www.pipaclubitalia.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/CHARTER-OF-VALUES.pdf [Accessed September 2023].
- Al Pascià. (2023). Accademia della Pipa. Al Pascià, 15 May 2023. https://www.alpascia.com/moments/en/detail/159/accademia-della-pipa [Accessed September 2023].
- Sauro, Gioacchino. (2021). L' Accademia della Pipa. Sauro Pipe, 5 October 2021. https://www.sauropipe.com/blog/2021/10/05/laccademia-della-pipa-2020/ [Accessed September 2023].
Accademia Alumni Pipes Gallery (as featured by Al Pascià)
A Volcano, made by Ganci. Image courtesy Al Pascià.
A bent ball, made by Ganci. Image courtesy Al Pascià.
A Dublin, made by il Picchio Nero. Image courtesy Al Pascià.
A bent egg, made by il Picchio Nero. Image courtesy Al Pascià.
A bamboo cherrywood, made by Manù. Image courtesy Al Pascià.
