Author: Tiziana Manzetti

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Pottery Exhibition in Deruta – “Sins”

November 21 -29
Deruta – Italy

The Seven Deadly Sins are the subject of a very interesting – and short – pottery exhibition that is about to open in Deruta.

The theme is fascinating, indeed, and so is the idea to explore it from different points of view.

The central event will be the exhibition of ceramic works made by Attilio Quintili, Patrizio Chiucchiù and Daniele Buschi, who are the founders of the art movement “The Ceramixti”.

Around their art works, experts in theology, ethics, psychology, art history and philosophy will offer their own interpretation of the Capital Vices. The program is enhanced by the final concert held by Fakhraddin Gafarov, a famous tar player from Azerbaijan.

Sins
Chiesa di Sant’Antonio
Piazza Benincasa
Deruta
Opening Hours: 10 am  to 1 p.m. – 3 to 7 pm
Ph: 0039 075 972121

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A short history of pottery from Civita Castellana

Italian pottery - Ceramic tile by Terrecotte SurrenaWe were recently challenged by a Customer who was looking for some handmade tiles for her backsplash. She wanted figurative and geometric tiles to form a panel, but they had to be tiles with a history (!).

We thought the matter over and contacted the artists of a studio in Civita Castellana that is renowned for tiles. I had actually purchased the tiles for MY backsplash from them not long ago and both Manuela and I love the quality and look of their products.
To make a long story short they sent us their catalog and we are about to ship to this lucky lady exactly what she was looking for.

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Victoria & Albert Ceramics Galleries are open!

Italian pottery - Ceramic inkstand from Bologna or Ferrara (Italy) - made ca. 1480 to 1500 - Making of Ceramics gallery at Victoria & Albert Museum - Photo credits: Victoria and Albert Museum, LondonA major redevelopment of V&A Ceramics Galleries has been under way since 2005, with the ambitious objective to “create the most important national and international centre for the enjoyment, understanding and study of ceramics and a collection that is unrivalled anywhere in the world”, as reported by V&A’s website.

The galleries are located on the top floor of the museum, where a beautiful domed ceiling hosts an astounding site-specific installation made by the London-based ceramicist Edmund de Waal. Entitled ‘Signs and Wonders’, the art work consists of some 300 porcelain vessels on a ‘floating’ red shelf encircling the dome.

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Too long a pause

We beg your pardon for our looooong absence from our Journal.

Working on thatsArte.com development has absorbed more time than we ever thought possible!

Now, we definitely need to find a better formula to manage our time. It’s just Manuela and I, though. And since it’s not in our plans to hire someone or to copy and paste articles from other Internet sites, I guess we’ll have to cope with writing less regularly while keeping up with the quality job we’ve tried to do so far.

We do hope in your understanding and, why not, in your help!
If you have in mind a special subject related to Italian pottery you’d like read about in our Journal or a story, an experience, an article you’d like to share with us, please, send us a message at info@thatsarte.com or a comment on the Journal.

One thing will never change, though: we’ll always be happy to share with our readers our passion!

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The Sudden Joy of a Close Encounter with Vietri Pottery Art

A week ago. Amalfi at night. Rough weather. Yet, the place was crowded for a media award. In the attempt to escape the pressure of the onlookers we sneaked into a narrow side street.

In the middle of the path I noticed a shop sign:  La Caravella – Enoteca & Ceramiche.  I had decided to forget about finding some special pottery piece in the area. I’d had enough of souvenir shops or ultra expensive art galleries. However I was stirred by the combination of wine and pottery and decided to give it a try.

Italian Ceramics - La Caravella, Winery and Pottery Art Gallery - Photo credits: La CaravellaA few seconds and my heart leaped with joy. I was surrounded by art pottery pieces, whose style was entirely new to me. It was my first meeting with Vietri Art Ceramic.

After a long inspection at the content of the gallery – I did not pay too much attention to the wine, although I love it … – I engaged the shop assistant in a feverish talk about who the artists were and where they were from and whose idea it was to combine art & wine.

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O’dino – Traces of Contemporary Design

June 27 – July 27, 2009
Spoleto – Italy

O'dino exhibition - Credits: ADIFifty years ago there was no notion of designer goods, nor was the Italian Style such a big deal.

Then Dino Gavina, a cultural visionary and brilliant entrepreneur, put into mass production the designs for furniture made by Marcel Breuer, a member of the Bauhaus. For the first time the wider public had the chance to bring into their homes pieces that had been the exclusive privilege of a few people who could afford to purchase a unique handmade item, prized for the cachet of its designer’s name.

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Riccardo Biavati – Art in the Garden 2009

Until October 30, 2009
Elba Island – Italy

Italian Ceramics - Horse with knight by Riccardo Biavati - Photo credits: Gulliver Art Gallery - Isola d'ElbaThe solo exhibition of Riccardo Biavati’s works will celebrate the 5th edition of Art in the Garden, a very original art event, indeed.

Biavati is one of the most poetic of Italian ceramic artists and the Elba Island is an ideal setting for his works. The natural and historical elements which are profusely to be found all over the island, the local tales and unique traditions are Biavati’s source of inspiration. His sculptures take from them their archaic symbols and speak the simple language of folks’ poems.

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Novecento – Italian Ceramics. Volume 3: last decades

Italian Ceramics - Emanuela Gaudenzi book coverThe title of this book – 1900. Key artists and works of the 20th century. Vol.3: last decades –  says all we needed to spring to our feet and rush to the nearest bookshop, longing to own it.

Mind you: this is not an objective book review. How can it be? We LOVE books AND we have a PASSION for Italian pottery. And this is an excellent, though opinionated (impossible to do differently!), collection of the most interesting works made between the Eighties and the end of the century, thus offering a good perspective on the status of the art and a concise interpretation of its development.

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Casteldurante Pottery – Summer Classes

Italian Ceramics - Bucchero vase by Orazio Bindelli - Photo Credits: www.culturaceramica.itThis year the Ceramic Art Classes in Urbania are particularly good, thanks to the variety of interesting subjects and the potters and artists who will share their experiences with the attendees.

The Summer Programs are organized by the coop Casteldurante Cultura Ceramica, with the help of the Associazione Amici della Ceramica di Urbania.
Focusing on pottery as a form of visual art, the classes will cover a number of topics, from the bucchero technique to raku, from basic pottery making to elaborate drawing techniques.

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Art through Fire – Luca Schiavon in Todi

April 4 – Mid June, 2009
Todi – Italy

Italian Ceramics - Work by Luca Schiavon - Photo Credits: www.exibart.comNo words need to be spent on the beauty of Todi, an old town nested on a steep hill not far from Perugia,  in Umbria. These days, however, there is one more reason to plan a visit to Todi: a fascinating combination of art and good food, meant to provide enjoyment to all the senses.

The main characters of the experiment are a restaurant, hosting the exhibition “Art through Fire”, an art gallery organizing the event and the outstanding ceramic works by Luca Schiavon.

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