Events

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New Clays – Languages of the Young Italian Art Pottery

Dec. 19, 2008 – Jan. 30, 2009
Baronissi – Italy

An extraordinary exhibition Italian Ceramics - New Clays Exhibition in Baronissi (Salerno)has just been opened at the FRAC Baronissi – Regional Fund of Contemporary Art – that will feature the works of a new generation of artists who’ve chosen clay to express their Art.

Born in the Seventies and the Eighties, they represent what’s new in the technical and visual language of Italian ceramics. A unique initiative, indeed, since it builds on the differing Italian traditions – Deruta, Savona, Padova, Vietri, Faenza, Lucca, Urbino and Salerno among the others  – and techniques, which include a number of experiments with contemporary images and materials.

In his introduction to the event the director of the FRAC Baronissi says that the exhibition features a carefully selected sample of the languages and the practices used in modern Italian ceramic art. These languages preserve the lively cells of the valuable Italian heritage while participating in the contemporary art experiences and blending clay with other materials and creative processes. Italian pottery is therefore a language among other languages, all of them having in common imagination, creativity and a contemporary spirit.

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Italian Clay Art: Brunelleschi’s Madonna first time on exhibit

Dec. 15, 2008 – Feb. 28, 2009
Firenze – Italy
Italian Ceramics - Madonna di Fiesole - Photo credits: www.corriere.itAn adorable clay sculpture of the Madonna with Child recently attributed to Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) will be on exhibit for the first time through Feb. 28th, 2009 in the Opificio delle Pietre Dure in Florence.

The terracotta bust portraits a young woman with downcast eyes, deep in thought. She gently holds her baby, who leans on her shoulder with profound trust and intimacy, interlocking his legs with her arms.

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Traditions and Contaminations: Pottery Workshop in Urbania

January
Palazzo Ducale, Urbania

“Traditions and contaminations”Italian Ceramics - Urbania: Traditions and Contaminations is a multi sensory event that will combine the Art of Pottery Making, Food and Music in Urbania.

Better known among Italian pottery lovers as Casteldurante, the town was one of the most important production areas of the “istoriato” ceramics during the Renaissance, together with Gubbio, Pesaro and Urbino. The majolicas made in Casteldurante in the 16th century still are among the most treasured preys to pottery collectors’ and museums’.

The event challenges the technical and aesthetic tradition of the local potters and mix and matches it with creative stimuli originating from Japanese pottery techniques, food tasting and good music.

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An Italian Ceramic Artist: Alfredo Santarelli

Oct. 25, 2008 – February 28, 2009
Gualdo Tadino, Italy

Alfredo SantarelliItalian ceramics - Porta del Morto (The deceased's door) by Alfredo Santarelli - Photo credits: www.gualdo.tadino.it is one of the most important Italian Ceramic Artists of the 20th century. His talent in drawing and his mastery in the tin glazing technique (lusterware) won him a large number of golden medals in International and Italian ceramic exhibitions. His excellent portraits and classic subjects are prized collectors’ items but he also interpreted Islamic, Liberty and Art Deco designs and shapes with great originality.

The curators of the exhibition, Prof. Enzo Storelli and Prof. Mario Becchetti, have selected for this very special event the best works made by Santarelli, ranging from his “historical” pottery to the modern 20th century pieces.

Santarelli was very much intrigued by the Visual Arts of the Past. The pieces he owes his fame to were inspired by Egyptian, Etruscan, Classic, Gothic, Hispano-Moresque, Renaissance, Neoclassic and Pre-Raphaelite models. They stand out in the modern Ceramic Art for their remarkably elegant execution and creativity, their philological exactitude and the sumptuous iridescence of their ruby and golden lustre.

In the second half of the 20’s his art evolved in line with the contemporary trends. His Art Deco and Liberty pieces are a tribute to Santarelli’s talented versatility.

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Silvio Vigliaturo Ceramic Works

Already Italian ceramics - work by Silvio Vigliaturofamous for his colorful glassworks, Silvio Vigliaturo has recently made his début in clay shaping with a solo exhibition at the Castellamonte Ceramic Festival.

His collection of large sized sculptures – up to 2.5 meters – had a highly emotional content.
As written by Vittorio Sacco in his presentation of the event, Vigliaturo has taken on him the task of developing a contemporary language for one of the oldest traditions in the history of the human civilization.

An objective to be proud of. The Italian ceramic artistic tradition, so rich and rooted in our heritage, badly needs to be revitalized and re-launched both in Italy and abroad.

All the pictures published in this article are kindly provided by the Museum of Contemporary Art “Silvio Vigliaturo”, in Acri – Calabria.

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Castellamonte Ceramic Festival No 48

Sept. 5 – Oct 5, 2008
Castellamonte – Italy

Welcome to the presentation of a highly fueled edition of Castellamonte Festival of Ceramics #48, a must for the lovers of Italian ceramics!

Castellamonte Ceramic Festival © Vittorio Amedeo Sacco con permessoThe event, organized by Vittorio Amedeo Sacco, will include an amazing number of exhibitions: more than 1000 art works by renowned Italian and International ceramic artists will be featured in the streets and historical buildings of this charming town, not far from Turin (Piemonte).

Before going through the rich Festival official program, let’s briefly have a look at the history of Castellamonte, where pottery making has been one of the most important resources for 6000 years.

In the past Castellamonte residents were simply called “pignaté” (pottery makers) by their neighbors since most of the functional pottery used in the region was made here. Continue reading →

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Ceramic Art Exhibition & Workshop in Rome

Sept 5th – 21st, 2008
Palazzo Venezia, Rome

Palazzo Venezia in Nicola Boccini - Credits: CLS Rome is about to open its doors to a usual and exciting event: an exhibition of experimental ceramic art and a ceramic workshop open to pottery lovers experienced potters and absolute beginners.

The event will complement the Agostino Tassi exhibition, currently on in the same building.
Tassi (1578 1644) was a very talented Italian painter, whose reputation was equally influenced by the beauty of his landscapes and seascapes and the rape of Artemisia Gentileschi.

Close-ups of Tassi’s works will be the subject of the workshop on majolica painting held by the School of Ceramic Art Romano Ranieri from Deruta. The participants will discover the secrets that make Italian ceramics famous worldwide. For the workshop details, please read below.

The exhibition of experimental ceramic art will feature the works of David Roberts, Nino Caruso, Nicola Boccini, Marino Ficola, Malgosia Turlo, Giuseppe Agamennone and Pierluigi Pompei, a group of artists belonging to the CLS – Ceramica Libera Sperimentale (Free Experimental Ceramics). Continue reading →

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design@km0.umbria.it: Food design and Deruta pottery

July 4 – August 4, 2008
Spoleto – Italy

ADI – Industrial Design Association – has chosen a very intriguing subject to celebrate the opening of a new branch in Umbria: Food Design.

Important designers, a famous chef and a group of Deruta potters joined their creative skills to set up an exhibition that shows how simple and natural ingredients can be turned into creative, tasty food and how tasty food can be arranged into unique plates for a multi-sensory experience.

The key characters of the event are local food (km0) and Deruta ceramic plates, all created by the International School of Ceramic Art “Romano Ranieri” and hand painted by the School artists and other potters.

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International Ceramic Festival in Montelupo – Tuscany

June 21-29, 2008
Montelupo – Italy

Tuscan ceramics - International Ceramic Festival in MontelupoMontelupo is a charming Medieval city built on a hill, a few miles east of Florence.
That was about it, until a team of archeologists discovered an old well full of kiln shards in 1973.

Tuscan ceramics - Pozzo dei Lavatoi - MontelupoThe unexpected discovery shed new light on the role of Montelupo in the history of Tuscan ceramics. It’s now a well-established fact that the town was one of the most important ceramic centers in Italy during the Renaissance and the production area of all the Florentine pottery.

The pride of such a splendid heritage revived the art of pottery making and had a positive impact on the local economic development.
Today Montelupo is a flourishing town, rich with historical buildings, talented potters and an awesome Museum of Ceramics.

To celebrate the glory of the past and today’s pottery art and craft an International Ceramic Festival is organized every year in the streets of the old historic district of Montelupo.

In a few weeks, from June 21st, performances, activities, art demos, exhibitions and young artists’ installations will definitely change the look of the town.

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Join us in Deruta for a spectacular event: The Magic of Ceramic Art

June 1-15, 2008
Deruta – Italy

Art exhibitions,Deruta - The Magic of Ceramic Art live performances, demonstrations and activities will be the ingredients of “The Magic of Ceramic Art”, a highly anticipated art & entertainment festival to be held in Deruta from June 1st.

Deruta potters, Italian and International artists, music players, scholars and visitors from all over the world will get together to celebrate the living heritage of one of the most important ceramic centers in the world.

The festival program is very exciting, indeed.

The 1st edition of Deruta Art: Biennale Exhibition of Contemporary Art will bring together 30 Umbrian and International artists, whose paintings, sculptures and visual artworks will be displayed in the former building of Maioliche Deruta, a factory which marked the revival of Deruta ceramics at the beginning of the 20th century.

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