Back to the Middle Ages, animal designs were very popular on Italian pottery. This tile, part of a large collection of Medieval tiles, is hand painted in Sicily by Giacomo Alessi.
The copper oxide is the predominant glaze here as it was at the end of the first millennium.
Sept. 28 – Oct. 11, 2001
London, UK
Giacomo Alessi’s work celebrates the glorious past of Sicilian ceramics while going for its renewal.
A deep understanding of Caltagirone’s millennial tradition of pottery making combined with a profound love for the complex and fascinating art of creating a meaningful something out of wet clay is the secret of Alessi’s sculptures.
Along with his handcrafted production – famous throughout the world – Giacomo Alessi has also been making his own “private” works. He takes pride, rightful pride, in showing his collection to a few privileged friends. But art cannot be concealed or silenced… his visitors spread the news and Giacomo has rapidly won international recognition.
Manuela and I met Giacomo Alessi in Caltagirone in 2007. We were starting our fine Italian ceramics web store and Giacomo was probably the very first artist we invited to join our project. A hesitant “let’s try…” was enough for us to fly to Sicily and visit him in his workshop. Continue reading
Jan. 25 – Feb. 15, 2010
Rome – Italy
A book and an exhibition will celebrate the art pottery made in Rome and Lazio.
The exhibition focuses on modern art and features 59 works, made by 14 eminent Italian ceramic artists. Emilio Greco (1913-1995) and Umberto Mastroianni (1910-1988) open the historical itinerary, followed by Giacomo Alessi from Caltagirone in Sicily, Cinzia Catena, Nino Caruso, Tommaso Cascella, Elettra Cipriani from Florence, Franco Ciuti, Marco Ferri, Antonio Gabriele, Antonio Grieco, Nedda Guidi from Gubbio, Riccardo Monachesi, Speranza Neri.
The book “Terracolta – La ceramica Romana e Laziale” curated by Norberto G. Kuri is a survey on the work of artists, who chose to work in Rome or in the surrounding areas, through the ages, from antiquity to recent years. A large section offers a profound insight on the 20th century, highlighting the outstanding ceramic works from the Liberty and Art-Déco time – if you are in Rome, do visit the House of the Owls in Villa Torlonia – and the magic of the Sixties and the Seventies.
Terracolta
Musei di San Salvatore in Lauro
P.zza San Salvatore in Lauro, 15, Roma
Ph: +39 06 6865493
Email: info@ilcigno.org
March 7 – 30, 2009
Castellamonte – Italy
“Terre e Territori” (Clays and Territories) promises to be an extremely interesting and rich exhibition, gathering more than 200 ceramic works signed by a man (and an artist, a designer, an architect, a great teacher, a journalist, a film director …) who stands out for his contribution to Italian Modern Art.
Since the 60’s he has been exploring the relationship between human beings and their environment and how it affects the evolution of the objects they use, the habits they develop, their perceptions of the space surrounding them, their communication.
Fascinated by visual media, be it new technology or traditional handcraftsmanship, La Pietra has used many of them to carry on his researches on everyday objects, to him useful functional tools, but also symbols of a specific decorative culture.
Pottery making has been part of his artistic evolution since the 80’s, when he started to work on the idea of a positive interaction between industrial design and the rich imagery of Italian ceramic craftsmanship. With very interesting results, indeed.