The Truth Rosary
I handmade the Truth rosary in 1990 when I lived on Mulberry Street in NYC. Drawing from the 1980’s dance club scene, I designed Truth as an oversized rosary in a commanding length of nearly 4 feet. I crafted it using black onyx, fine silver, and sterling silver with a black patina. During that era, I created only three; one I gifted to Madonna (while I was in Rome for Fashion Week and while she was in Rome promoting her film Body of Evidence). A second Truth was privately commissioned in onyx and emerald to a debonaire Irishman, and the third I donated to a charity.
Truth would much later become a part of my 2018 co-brand with the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Special Exhibition gift shop in celebration of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.
Truth, the 1990 original (right) and Truth, the 2018 DDxMet Store Co-brand (left) on my workbench in 2018, Flatiron, NYC.
During the late 80s and early 90s, I was hand making a small series of rosary beads including Truth under my name. The rosaries were shown on Italian runways and they made their way into the Italian press such as L'orafo Italiano, Imagine, and Il Globo. It was rewarding when one of the Italian runway shows was held at the Grace Rainey Rodgers Auditorium in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It a was a cool moment of synchrodestiny because at the time (1991), I was working for the Met as a goldsmith. Back then, we had a jewelry reproduction studio that was tucked away in the museum’s basement underneath the Egyptian Wing.
The runway show was for Italian shoe designers and it was produced by friends that I knew from when I lived in Italy. Seeing it all come together was wild for 20-something-year-old me, especially seeing my rosaries glide back and forth along the runway. There was a dazzling dinner party afterwards held in the Temple of Dendur. The pre-cellphone era made it, in retrospect, all the more sublime. The dessert was a crystal-clear glass dome made of sugar with another confection inside. While the evening was filled with illustrious Italian-Americans, an enchanting moment was meeting one of my favorite Hollywood heartthrobs, Ben Gazzara. The Temple was overflowing with a vibrant energy and writing this entry is a way of preserving that precious period in time for me and Truth.
Me in the early 90’s wearing the very first original Truth, My 1990 Rosary Beads, The business card that granted access to Madonna during above mentioned fashion week.
Truth had its day in the sun again in 2018 when I was the official jeweler to The Met Store's Special Exhibition gift shop in celebration of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. It was a rewarding full circle that brought Truth, Mystical Rose and Brother Sun, Sister Moon (two other rosaries that I created in 1990) to the museum once more, this time in a collection I called Hail Holy Queen. They were a limited-edition series that we handmade in my Flatiron studio.
Brother Sun, Sister Moon in a 2018 Metropolitan Museum of Art Store promotion for the Donna Distefano x Met Store Co-Brand.
Brother Sun, Sister Moon, sterling and fine silver, moonstone and crystal (top). Donna Distefano x The Met Store 2018 “Heaven-Sent” promo ad.
I like to distinguish between the 1990 originals and the 2018 co-brand rosaries. If you were one of the savvy shoppers who purchased one of the co-brand Truth rosaries you’ll know by the markings on the back. Stamped with a logo designed by my friend and artist Mathieu Jean, he combined my initials with a heron, a bird that I love from antiquity. His results were really cool, and I still consider this one of my favorite markings. Many but not all of the co-brand pieces have the same marking.
In all, the 2018 series was limited to 5 Truth rosaries, 18 Ravens, 55 Brother Sun, Sister Moon rosaries and 100 Mystical Rose rosaries.
Truth, Raven, Brother Sun Sister Moon, and Mystical Rose were the four styles in the rare series. Three were made from my original 1990s prototypes. Raven was designed and created in 2018 as an homage to Monte Cassino, Italy, a neighboring town to our family village and the resting place of Saint Benedict who is known as a powerful protector against the devil. My favorite part of this piece is the raven in the center of the cross. According to lore, a raven swooped in and saved Saint Benedict from eating a poisoned piece of bread. The center medallion connecting all beads of Raven contains engravings of Latin words of the Rule of Saint Benedict.
Detail of the Saint Benedict Rule (the centerpiece of Raven)
Raven, Donna Distefano x The Met Store
Brother Sun, Sister Moon is a crystal, sterling, and fine silver rosary redux that was originally created by me over a quarter of a century prior. The original was on exhibition in a Soho gallery called Archetype in 1992.
Brother Sun, Sister Moon the 1991 original in moonstone, crystal beads and sterling silver.
I made Mystical Rose for my sister Nancy for Christmas in the 90’s. The 2018 version in fine silver, sterling silver, and rose quartz had rose carved pink beads as the “Our Father” beads of the rosary.
These pieces are a reminder to me that creativity is driven by perseverance and faith. Even though I didn’t know where I was headed, I definitely wouldn’t let go of my dreams. Truth was a pivotal turning point for me at my workbench in my Mulberry Street living room. Truth beamed me out of the 80’s and into the 90’s and then into a new life and new job (at The Met). Adventure was everywhere and in just a few short years I’d incorporate Donna Distefano Ltd officially. Phew!
Another photo of yours truly back in 1992, modeling the same rosary series.
2018 DDxMet coverage in Jewelers Circular Keystone.
2018 DDxMet coverage in the New York Times.
2018 DDxMet coverage in Elle Italia.