May 12 – June 2, 2011
Gubbio, Italy
Every year, on May 15th, Gubbio honors its Patron Saint, Sant’Ubaldo, with the spectacular “Corsa dei Ceri” or Race of the Saints.
Since 2002, the city celebrates the event with the exhibition “Brocche d’Autore”, that highlights the strong relationship existing among the Race of the Saints with its traditional ceramic pitchers called Brocche dei Ceri, Gubbio pottery and contemporary ceramic art.
This is how it works: every year the Cultural Association “Maggio Eugubino” selects three artists, one of them from Gubbio, and invites them to create their Brocche. The artists, informed about the traditional function and symbolic value of the artifacts, are free to re-interpret them. Their Brocche are displayed during the celebrations for Sant’Ubaldo.
Year after year the Brocche d’Autore have formed a unique collection, that offers an extremely interesting perspective on the status of Italian ceramic art.
The artists invited to the 2011 edition were made by Gabriele Mengoni, Marino Moretti and Sandro Soravia.
This year, for the first time, the Brocche d’Autore from the previous editions will be on display in the windows of the stores in the historical district.
About the artists
Gabriele Mengoni is from Gubbio. Since 1997 he’s been working on the technique of metallic lusters and he’s been studying and experimenting to revive the process used to make the “coppe abborchiate”, most popular cups made in Gubbio during the Renaissance. He has actually obtained outstanding results with both techniques, that he often applies to new shapes and ornamental motifs.
Marino Moretti is from Orvieto. His vivid colors and his free and imaginative figures are the landmarks of his works. He has been using many different techniques: majolica, ingobbio, bucchero, oxides, glazes, transparent glaze on terracotta and refractory clay. He worked with Walter Ostrom, Derek Smith, Les Blakeborough, Matthias Ostermann and Victor Greenaway, with whom he currently organizes courses on pottery decoration.
Sandro Soravia studied pottery making in Gubbio, with Aldo Ajò. After many years spent working in advertising he decided to move to Albisola and start his own studio. He is a ceramicist, a sculptor and a painter. His most distinctive works, highly idealistic, are praised by many art connoisseurs and they are hosted in many public buildings and private collections.
Brocche d’Autore
Chiesa di Santa Maria dei Laici (or Chiesa dei Bianchi)
Windows of downtown stores in Gubbio