Author: Tiziana Manzetti

by

Sharing some lovely pictures about Grottaglie

We have recently added to our website a page about Grottaglie, a charming town in Puglia where industrious potters have been making vessels and more or less functional ceramics for many centuries.
Grottaglie pottery is pretty famous here in Italy, especially for the production of the last century, when the functional pottery has been replaced by lovely home décor accents ad and sophisticated dinnerware.
Today we ran into an article published on “La Repubblica”, a national newspaper, with very interesting pictures about Grottaglie and its heritage. Enjoy!
by Tiziana Manzetti 

Grottaglie and its pottery - Credits: "La Repubblica"    Grottaglie and its pottery - Credits: "La Repubblica"

Grottaglie and its pottery - Credits: "La Repubblica"    Grottaglie and its pottery - Credits: "La Repubblica" 

by

About a holiday in Sicily (and Sicilian pottery of course)

Just back from a holiday in Sicily! I spent a few days in Palermo then drove to the South to visit the Valle dei Templi in Agrigento.
It was my first time in Palermo and I had a blast. Palermo is so beautiful, so lively and so different from any other city I know: every corner hides a surprise. I will not mention how good the food and the weather were … don’t want to ruin your day!
As usually I was elated by the genuine beauty of Sicilian pottery, especially tiles and panels. I discovered them in the most unusual places: in the magnificent Cathedral in Palermo, in the narrow streets of Monreale, in the Museum of Anthropology in Agrigento, as stair risers on a house in Porto Empedocle.
The last day I stumbled upon a real treasure. I was visiting Palazzo Mirto in Palermo, the palace of a noble family recently opened to the public  and I noticed a precious collection of Sicilian Lumiere.
by Tiziana Manzetti
My postcards from Sicily

Lovely floor tiles at the Museum in Agrigento

Antique Sicilian floor tiles

Continue reading →

by

Berti Cutlery: nothing but the best

It’s high time to introduce Mr Andrea Berti, the man behind the huge success of Berti Cutlery, the Italian company that has been delighting the world with its premium quality knives for more than a century.

Andrea’s great grandfather, David, founded the company in 1895 in Scarperia, the sacred land of Italian knives. He was a talented knife maker and knew very well that there was only one way to beat his copious, well established competitors: make better cutlery.

He adopted a no-compromise strategy, selecting first-rate materials and the best fellow artisans in the region. Furthermore he set a rule that at the time did not seem so important but that was to be decisive for the future of his workshop: all his knives must be handmade using traditional methods.
Continue reading →

by

Introducing high end Italian knives from Scarperia

In the last few weeks we’ve been working really hard on a new, very exciting project: high end Italian knives.

Actually the project is not really “new” as it started in the Summer of 2011, when I drove to Scarperia to see in person what was left of the city’s century old knife making tradition. As usual I had done my homework: I had read all I could find about the knife makers who have resisted the siren call of mass production and decided to stay small and keep the high standards of their craftsmanship.

I walked the main street of this charming Medieval town where all the well-regarded knife makers have their stores. That was awesome: unlike ceramics where a hesitation in the hand of the painter is considered a sign that the product is handmade, handcrafted knives are so perfect in every detail that is really hard to believe that a man, however talented, can achieve such a high degree of precision.
Continue reading →

by

Women artists and their work about women

Until March 24, 2013
Tuscania – Italy

Last Saturday I went to visit an interesting exhibition in Tuscania. It has been organized by one of my favorite ceramic artists – Mirna Manni – and it’s about WOMEN.

The exhibition features the work of nine artists who have shown thru their works who many different meanings and shades can be used to depict the female universe.

Every artist has contributed with her own expressive medium. Ceramic sculptures and installations, digital photography, mixed media, paintings …
Continue reading →

by

First Biennial of Contemporary Ceramic Art

Until June 24, 2012
Frascati – Italy

The exhibition, the first of many to come I’m sure, is hosted in the former stables of Villa Aldobrandini in Frascati. Recently  transformed into a museum, the16th century building is just perfect to display contemporary ceramic art.

I visited it last Sunday and although my expectations were very high because I already knew the work of some of the artists, at least thru some pictures, I still was surprised to find how good, meaningful and diverse the exhibition is and how it succeeds in capturing the current trends of Italian ceramic art.

I was happy to meet Jasmine Pignatelli, whose giant sized seeds and roots – thriving elements of a vital and raped world – I had always admired but never quite understood from the cold screen of my computer.

The 13 artists who contributed to this wonderful initiative are Silvia Calcagno, Elettra Cipriani, Guido De Zan, Fabrizio Dusi, Marino Ficola, Antonio Grieco, Annalisa Guerri, Massimo Luccioli, Rita Miranda, Riccardo Monachesi, Simone Negri, Jasmine Pignatelli and Sprout.
Continue reading →

by

Franco Meneguzzo – Unique vs series artworks 1951- 1962

Until May 12, 2012
Turin, Italy

Italian Ceramics - The gauntlet and the challenge, 1959Twenty ceramic works by a major Italian ceramic artist and a subject that became a very hot in the Sixties and still is: art and design, unique artwork and serial production.

Franco Meneguzzo stated his point thru his work. He challenged traditional boundaries between art and design and opened to a limited edition of some of his works. A strong believer of the value of craftsmanship and “ownership” he personally followed all the production steps of his pieces, making sure that the end result was in no way different from his project.

Terre d’Arte Gallery hosts a prominent selection of Meneguzzo’s works between 1951 and 1962. A great opportunity to see side by side unique and limited edition pieces and … try to spot the difference.

Franco Meneguzzo – L’unico e la Serie, Ceramiche 1951- 1962
Galleria Terre d’Arte
Via Maria Vittoria 20/A, Torino
Ph: +39 011 19503453
Email: info@terredarte.net

by

Meeting Italian ceramic artists: Mirna Manni

I met Mirna Manni last year, in Tuscania. I was there for an art exhibition and she was briefly introduced to me as the co-owner of the gallery and a ceramic artist, an information that – of course! –triggered my interest.

Small talk is not among my qualities, so I immediately asked her about her work. Her posture changed, her eyes lit and Mirna the charming lady gave way to Mirna the artist who bewitched me with her contagious passion for clay and her astonishing technical knowledge.

Following our conversation she sent me some pictures of her works, which I found absolutely interesting. Still I was hesitant to write an article about Mirna without having actually seen her pieces, which I longed to do, by the way. The announcement of her new solo exhibition in Tuscania unclenched my silent hurray! Continue reading →

by

Giuliano Giganti – To Rebuild a Man

October 2-23, 2011
Gubbio, Italy

Giuliano Giganti is one of those artists who have a clear perception of the perpetual changes occurring around them and their impact on our fragility.

The man he describes in his work is weak and confused, his values shattered. He has lost his balance. There is no way back. A new system of values, new ideals are necessary. Giuliani discreetly suggests to follow the path of simplicity, of nature: a well plowed soil and fertile seeds are the humble yet essential ingredients for a healthy crop.

Continue reading →