Author: Manuela

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Evolution Art Revolution – Italian ceramic genius at work

Italian Ceramics - Evening dress "Nike of Samothrace" - Photo credits: Evolution Art RevolutionWe’ve already told you how /r/evolutionary this event aims to be. Today we’ll tell you more about one of the projects presented in the exhibition Evolution Art Revolution. It’s the innovative combination of fashion and ceramic, both strictly made in Italy.

Here is the story, a truly cute one.

Nicola Boccini is the key character. He is the founder of the CLS (Free Experimental Ceramics Association) and an extremely knowledgeable ceramicist, with a significant technical experience. He is very focused on new processes and techniques that add to the properties of ceramic, thus making it suitable for more functional purposes than the traditional ones. Continue reading →

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Evolution Art Revolution – a new frontier in Ceramic Art

Starting Sept. 2, 2010 in Paris, then on tour around the world until 2014

Italian Ceramics - Evolution Art Revolution logoThis event is meant to be an earthquake for (Italian) art and artistic ceramics, a powerful and meaningful attempt to change the course of its currently uneventful history – we’re open for discussion on this statement. Send in your comments!

We received the press release of the exhibition a few weeks ago from Nicola Boccini, founder of the CLS (Free Experimental Ceramics Association) and the creator of this extraordinary event. We grasped that something important was going on and we refused to publish it as is, meaning without first hand info and more clues on what the revolution was.

Yesterday we had a long talk with Nicola Boccini. Now we are definitely ready to tell you all about Evolution art /r/evolution.

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Artist Wine Jugs for Nouveau Wine

Italian Ceramics - Vaselle d'autore 2009 - TorgianoThe practice of releasing the nouveau wine in November – a huge marketing event – is commonly associated with France, where on the third Thursday of the month the Beaujolais Nouveau is first sold.

However, if you google “nouveau wine” you’ll find out that the development of “primeur” wines is a tradition in many other wine-producing countries.

In Italy St. Martin’s Day marks the beginning of the new wine tasting. Many festivals are held that celebrate the maturation of the year’s wine, under the spell of the old saying “A San Martino ogni mosto e’ vino”. Continue reading →

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Deruta – The Magic of Ceramic Art 2009

June 26 – July 12, 2009
Sept 12 – 20, 2009
Deruta – Italy

Italian Ceramics - Deruta: The Magic of Ceramic Art 2009 - Photo Credits: http://www.comune.deruta.pg.itThe second edition of Deruta Ceramic Festival is about to start. The program is attractive, not only for Italian pottery lovers, but for anyone who enjoys live shows and art in general.

The events will take place on Fridays through Sundays. Here is a selection:

ONGOING EVENTS: every Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Anyone willing to create his own ceramic masterpiece can join Deruta potters at the Open Ceramic Lab. From wheel throwing to freehand painting, visitors will experience the making of pottery and bring home their own solid ceramic pieces. The Lab is downtown in Piazza dei Consoli and is open from 11 am to 8 pm

Stands displaying Deruta artists’ works will be open all day in the main street of the old district

Exhibition of the 36 Italian Ceramic Towns Association (AICC) at Grazia’s Old Factory

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2009 International Ceramic Festival in Montelupo – Tuscany

June 20-28, 2009
Montelupo – Italy

2009 International Ceramic Festival of Montelupo

Hard to believe… the 2009 edition of the International Ceramic Festival seems even more interesting than the 2008 one, when the Regional Museum of Ceramics had just been re-opened and the city blew the candles on the 25th birthday of its School of Ceramics.

This year the focus will be on modern ceramic art with the grand opening of the first department of the Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art and Nanni Valentini’s retrospective exhibition – separate articles will soon be published on these key events.

Together with Nanni Valentini, other established artists will be honored with solo or collective exhibitions. As an encouragement to the younger generations and their experimental vision of ceramic art, the municipality has sponsored the production of many installations made by young artists and placed all over the town.

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Lucerna Circus – A Ceramic Oil Lamp Exhibition

February 7-17, 2009
Perugia – Italy

Frezzini&Zaganelli - Circo Lucerna e Romeo il clown - 2008Each year the Lungarotti Foundation harnesses the creative forces of important Italian artists to offer a new, creative vision of the oil lamp and its flickering light that accompanied the life of people for many centuries. Oil lamps have been used in Italy until the end of World War 1. They were usually made of clay and burned olive oil, that neither smells nor smokes.

This year the project was assigned to Stelio Zaganelli e Cristina Frezzini, two young designers from Umbria, assisted in the making of their works by the School of Ceramic Art Romano Ranieri in  Deruta.
In a brilliantly creative association of ideas, they have jumped from the magic of the olive tree and oil – almost sacred in Italy – to the magic of the Circus.

Inspired by the atmosphere of poetry surrounding the 19th century Circus, so close to human virtues and vices, their large ceramic oil lamps/sculptures represent the key characters of the Lucerna Circus:

Sissi, the slender and elegant dancer, always in the limelight, desperate for a loving soul to share her destiny with;

Filo, the slim funambulist, continuously challenging his records but depending on drugs to keep his pace steady;

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Sharing the same passion for Italian Ceramics

Italian wall plate by Marco e Vasco Bertini (Firenze) We started this blog driven by our passion for Italian ceramics, a feeling we LOVE to share with other people (passion without sharing is such a waste, don’t you think so?).

Everything about this subject rouses our interest and stimulates us to research and learn and …share. We’re never tired: there is so much to say about Italian ceramics beyond technicalities and detailed descriptions.

Each piece, without exception, is the result of our history, culture, art and tradition. Nothing is more rewarding than meeting people who share our enthusiasm!

Can you imagine the surprise and excitement when we read a comment posted here by Walter Del Pellegrino? Walter and Karen Del Pellegrino are the authors of the first and most informative guides to the identification of Italian pottery written in English. Their handbooks are a MUST for collectors, antique dealers and pottery lovers. They also maintain a dedicated Italian pottery forum where they assist people who wish to learn more about their Italian ceramics.

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Tonina Cecchetti – “Vèstíti di vestíti”

February 15 – April 19, 2008
Firenze – Italy

A solo exhibition will feature Tonina Cecchetti’s most recent works: large and small sculptures made of terracotta and coated in different materials.
Terracotta sculpture by Tonina CecchettiThe mother and child theme runs through each and every work with poetical intensity. Their “clothes” protect them but at the same time imprison them in an ambiguity or dilemma which is typical of Cecchetti’s art philosophy.
Iron, leather, wool and other recycled materials are matched to painted and glazed terracotta.
Tonina Cecchetti lives in Sigillo, not far from Gubbio in Umbria, where the tradition of pottery making is deeply rooted. Gubbio ceramics are very famous thanks to Mastro Giorgio’s lustres which are among the masterpieces of Italian Renaissance art heritage.

Galleria Varart
Via dell’Oriuolo, 47-49r, Firenze
Tel. +39 055 284265
varart@tin.it

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Luca Caimmi – Just Behind. Poi fu la volta della Terra

February 16 – March 13, 2008
Mondolfo – Italy

Quasi fino all'orlo - 2005 - Luca CaimmiIn Luca Caimmi’s hands, traditional structures are re-invented. The subtle beauty of his works can be found in the balance of volume and shape. A shape inspired by a vase is not meant to contain something but to delimit the void.

His ceramics are white with silver details: the organic, earthly origin of the clay is thus hidden and forgotten. Time is frozen into eternity.

Galleria Pu-Ri’
Via XX Settembre 13
Tue/Sun: 10.00/18.00 – Thu: 10:00/22:00
Tel. +39 0721 957201
puricomunicazione@gmail.com

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Italian Ceramics from Castelli – State Hermitage Museum Collection

February 5 – May 11, 2008
St Petersburg – Russia

Italian ceramic large albarello vase - Castelli 1735 - Private collectionThe awesome Italian majolicas from Castelli belonging to the Hermitage Fund have just returned to St Petersburg after a very successful tour in Italy.
The State Hermitage Museum will feature them in the Blue Bedroom of the Winter Palace until May 11th, 2008.

The Hermitage collection includes 77 works that were purchased in Italy by Russian art merchants on behalf of the Russian Tsars and other wealthy families between the 16th and the 17th century.
They had excellent taste: they bought pieces painted by the most talented masters in Castelli, such as Carmine Gentile, Carlo Antonio Grue, Pompeo de Bernamonte, Orazio Pompei, Francesco Antonio Grue, Nicola Cappelletti.

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