Antonella Cimatti

Antonella Cimatti Contemporary Ceramics

View Antonella Cimatti’s works featured on Ceramics Now Magazine

→ Read the interview with Antonella Cimatti, Spotlight – October 2011

→ Antonella Cimatti is an exhibiting artist at the first edition of Ceramics Now Exhibition, held in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

“I believe that the greatest undertaking of the artist is that of professional maintenance. As a matter of fact, along with spontaneous creativity, you indissolubly must add an elevated professional competence regarding technique; through reading and observation, the joy of experimentation, of combining, and of moving forward.

My design is born from a rereading of past artistic production through a filter of formal personal sensibility directed towards the making of a functional or sculptural object. The forms generated are aesthetically accurate and display a strong sense of the real feminine character, of grace, of elegance and of attention to detail.
Thus, “Crespines”, objects originally of Faentinian tradition that were used in the grand European courts of the 16th and 17th centuries, have been remade in porcelain paper clay for a new collection which began in 2005.
It was challenging and exciting to create forms derivative of the past, but reconsidered with completely new techniques and philosophies.

These pieces have been formed using an incredibly thin decorative weft that ultimately creates their supporting structure: it’s an art of addition, not of subtraction, as was commonly done in the original renaissance crespines, where the perforations were created by piercing and cutting out shapes from the existing closed forms. The procedure anticipates the moulding with a freehand syringe on concave or convex refractory supports and requires a high temperature firing. Sometimes the forms are then mounted on hand-blown glass bases, which have been designed and commissioned in Tuscany. The round shape is prevalent in my work, which can often be found in Italian Renaissance architecture.

They present themselves in this way, like ample goblets in ceramic filigree, a type of interwoven lace of overlapping spirals in precious porcelain “thread”, an effect absolutely unobtainable without the help of paperclay. Objects of light and vulnerability, which live in illumination and shadow, in tactility, in supreme whiteness and imperceptible vibrations.” Antonella Cimatti

Antonella Cimatti  was born in Faenza in 1956. One of Carlo Zauli’s pupils at the Istituto d’Arte (State School of Ceramics) in Faenza, she went on to obtain a degree with distinction from the Accademia di Belle Arti (Fine Arts Academy) in Bologna. She has been teaching Design at the Istituto d’Arte (State School of Ceramics) in Faenza since 1979.

→ Antonella Cimatti will also be featured in our first printed issue of Ceramics Now Magazine.

Antonella Cimatti’s C.V. (resume) – View her works

EDUCATION
1979 – Academy of Fine Arts, Bologna, Italy
Diploma of Fine Arts (student of Adriano Bacillieri, Daniele Degli Angeli e Mauro Mazzali).
1975 – Italian National Institute of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy 
Diploma of “Magistero”, Thesis with Carlo Zauli.
1973 – Italian National Institute of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy
Diploma of “Maestro d’Arte per la Ceramica” (Student of Aldo Rontini)


SPECIALIZATION COURSES ABROAD
1981 – “Techniques of Japanese Ceramic Decoration”, Municipal Institute of Ceramics, Toki, Japan.
1985 – “Technique of Lithophaine on porcelein”, École Nationale d’Art Decoratif, Limoges, France.
1988 – “Jewerly Design”, Portsmouth College of Art and Design, England.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
1979 to present: Professor of Ceramic Design, Italian National Institute of Ceramic Art Faenza Italy.
1995/Artist Fellowship Exchange, European Communities, Belgium.
1991/Artist Fellowship Exchange, European Communities, England.
1984/Workshop Giocare con l’Arte/ Children’s ceramics studio founded by Bruno Munari, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, MIC, Faenza, Italy, (Catalogue).
1981/Art of Ceramic Sculpture, Summer Course for Japanese Ceramists/ Italian National Institute of Ceramic Art, Faenza, Italy.

WORKING EXPERIENCE
1985 to 2000: as a designer in “Hollywood Collection” , Flavia Manifatture Ceramiche Artistiche, Gruppo Bitossi, Montelupo Fiorentino, Firenze

ONE OR TWO PERSON EXHIBITIONS – SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2010 – “CERAMICA – STORIA DI DONNE, Tradizione e attualità a Faenza”, MIC Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, in Faenza, Italy.
2010 –  “paperclay | TODAY Artist Symposium”, in Laguna Beach, California.
2009 –  “2010 Second International Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Teapot Art”, Shanghai, China.
2009 – “ 2009 Nanfeng Kiln International Ceramic Work Camp”, Foshan, Guangdong, China.
2009 – “4° Bienal International De Ceramica “Ciudad de Talavera”, Talavera de la Reina, Spain, (catalogue).
2009 – “Cerco ‘09” , Feria Y premio International de Ceramica Contemporanea, Zaragoza, Spain, (catalogue).
2009 – “ I. International triennial of ceramics Unicum 2009″, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SLOVENIA, (catalogue).
2009 – “Festival of Contemporary art”, eventi collaterali, Atelier Cimatti, ospita Stefano Scheda, Faenza, Italy.
2008-2009 – “Ceramica Contemporanea: per un Museo di Arte Contemporanea in Fano”, a cura di Gian Carlo Bojani, Palazzo Montevecchio, Fano (PU), Italy.
2008-2009 – “Trame di luce”, installazione, (One Person Exhibition) Atelier Cimatti, Faenza, Italy.
2008-2009 – “Biennale delle chiese laiche”, Massa Lombarda, Ravenna, Italy, (catalogue).
2008 – “Arte e Luce nella Ceramica di Deruta”, Fondazione Ceramica Contemporanea d’Autore Alviero Moretti, Deruta, Italy.
2008 – “Ceramiche per il Natale”, Chiesa di San Giuseppe, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Faenza, Italy.
2008 – “ Coree – Italie” Art contemporain : tableaux, céramique, Galleria Deburaux Aponem, Paris, (catalogue).
2008 – “Argillà Italia”, Faenza, Italy.
2008 – “Festival of Contemporary art”, Openstudio, Faenza, Italy , (catalogue).
2008 – “Antonella Cimatti porcellana e maiolica”, Associazione Suzuka, Palazzo Marchi, Imola, Italy (One Person Exhibition, Catalogue).
2008 – “Lilliput Ceramics” Worls Exhibition of Small & Miniature Ceramics, Cakavec & Opatija, Croatia.
2008 – “100E+ CERAMICHE PER IL PARADISO”, Gabbianelli, Cersaie, Bologna and Palazzo delle Stelline, Milan, and MIC (Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche), Faenza, Italy,(Catalogue).
2008 – “XXVIII Mostra del Presepe”, Castello Episcopio, Città di Grottaglie, Italy (Catalogue).
2008 – “Presepi”, Museo Internazionale Design Ceramico, Cerro, Laveno Mombello, Italy, (Catalogue).
2007 – “Universo bianco”, arranged by Matteo Zauli, Salone del Mobile, Galleria Bianconi, Milan, Italy, (Catalogue).
2007 – “The 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007 Korea International Competition”, Yeoju World Ceramic Livingware Gallery, South Korea, (catalogue).
2006 – “Vernice Art Fair”, Forlì, Italy, (catalogue).
2006 – “Antonella Cimatti Artista e designer”, Rovereto, Trento, Italy, ( One Person Exhibition, Catalogue)
2006 – “Ultratavola”, ADI, Abitare il Tempo, Verona, Italy, (catalogue).
2006 – “Craft Gallery”, The Russian Museum of Ethnography, in St. Petersburg, Russia.
2005 – “Sinus Fluentes”,Openstudio and Fontanonearte, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy, (Two Person Exhibitions).
2004 – “Il Museo della ceramica di Fiorano Modenese ”, Casa della Cultura, Balmes, Spain, (Catalogue).
2003 – “La forza della terra”, Nogaredo, Trento, Italy, (One Person Exhibition, Catalogue).
2003 – “1950/2000, Theatre of Italian creativity”, New York, USA, (Catalogue).
2002 – “La primavera di Faenza, Corea-Italia, esposizione della ceramica contemporanea”, Faenza, Italy, (Catalogue).
2002 – “Rose’s Choise”, International Museum of Women in Art, Scontrone, Italy (Catalogue).
1999 – “1° Concorso Internazionale del Cuco”, invited Artist’s Section, Nove, Italy (Catalogue).
1998 – “Aria orientale e occidentale”, 38ª Mostra della ceramica, Castellamonte, Italy, (Catalogue).
1998 – “Progetti e territori’98”, Abitare il tempo, Verona, Italy, (Catalogue).
1997 – “Flora Magna”, presented by Gian Carlo Bojani, Circolo degli Artisti, Faenza, Italy, (One Person Exhibition,  Catalogue).
1996 – “Trixial blend: clay, industry and technology”, Rodchester, New York, USA, (Catalogue).
1995 – “Hollywood Collection, Design 95”, Macef, Milano, Italy, (Catalogue).
1994 – “I designers per la ceramica di Montelupo”, Museo Acheologico e della Ceramica, Montelupo (Firenze), Italy (Catalogue).
1993 – “Progetti e territori ’93” Abitare il tempo, Verona, Italy, (Catalogue).
1991 – “Il design delle donne”, Museo dell’Arredo Contemporaneo, Russi (Ravenna), Italy (Catalogue).
1991 – “Arte e Ceramica in laboratorio” Exibition arranged by MIC Faenza, Lille, France (Catalogue).
1990/91 – “Memory’s containers”, Alessi, Milan, Italy, (Catalogue).
1989 – “Il design di ricerca e la Ceramica Bitossi”, by Flavia, MIC, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy, (Catalogue).
1987 – “Keramik aus Faenza”, Salzburger Museum Carolino Augusteum, Salzburg Austria, (Catalogue).
1987 – “Bee’s day”, design section arranged by Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, New York, USA (Catalogue).
1987 – “Kerstone”, Stand Bernini, Salone del Mobile, Milano, Italy
1986 – “Arte Fiera”, Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola, Bologna, Italy (Catalogue).
1986 – “La Nuova Ceramica”, arranged by Franco Solmi, Seibu Store, Tokyo, Japan (Catalogue).
1986 – “Fajans-Majolika”, Prïmenjene Umetnosti Museum, Belgrade, Yugoslavia (Catalogue).
1985 – “Cravatta al Museo-Terzo Fuoco”, Palace of Nations, Pitti Uomo, Firenze, Italy.
1985 – “A very New generation of Italian art”, arranged by Enrico Crispolti, Fortezza Medicea, Siena, Italy (Catalogue).
1985 – “Gli Oggetti per Domus”, Centrodomus, Milano, Italy.
1984 – 85 “De Sculptura II”, arranged by Filiberto Menna, Bonaiuto Palace, Caltagirone, Catania, Italy, (Catalogue).
1984 – “Figure dallo sfondo”, arranged by Marilena Pasquali, Gallery of Modern Art, Ferrara, Italy, (Catalogue).
1984 – “Exempla ‘84”, Munich, Germany, (Catalogue).
1983 – “Ars Decorativa” arranged by Franco Solmi, Maggiore Gallery, Bologna, Italy (Catalogue).
1983 – “Aspetti della Ceramica”, arranged by Franco Solmi, Diamanti Palace, Ferrara, Italy (Catalogue).
1983 – Di Sarro Artistic Reseach Center, arranged by Enrico Crispolti, Rome, Italy (One Person Exhibition, Catalogue).
1983 – “Terre d’Italia”, arranged by Marilena Pasquali, Gallery of Modern Art, Ancona, Italy (Catalogue).
1982 -“Céramique 82” Architecture et Habitat, Abaye Saint- Germain, Auxerre, France (Catalogue).

AWARDS
2009 – Selected competition and exhibition – “4° Bienal International De Ceramica “Ciudad de Talavera”, Talavera de la Reina, Spain, (catalogue).
2009 – Selected competition and exhibition – “Cerco ‘09” , Feria Y premio International de Ceramica Contemporanea, Zaragoza, Spain, (catalogue).
2009 – Selected competition and exhibition – “ I. International triennial of ceramics Unicum 2009”, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SLOVENIA, (catalogue).
2008 – Selected for the Exhibition – “The 26th Gold Coast International Ceramic Art Award”, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, Australia, (catalogue).
2008 – Finalist, “28th International Ceramics Competition l’Alcora 2008”, Museu de Ceràmica de l’Alcora, Spain.
2008 – Finalist, “2008 Sidney Myer International Ceramic Award”, Shepparton Art Gallery, Shepparton VIC, Australia, in association with La Trobe University (Catalogue).
2007 – Finalist, “Concurso de Diseño y Nuevas Formas en Cerámica”, LXXVII Exposición de Alfarería y Cerámica de La Rambla, Cordoba, Spain.
2007 – Silver Prize, “The 4th World Ceramic Biennale 2007 Korea International Competition”, Yeoju World Ceramic Livingware Gallery, South Korea, (catalogue).
2006 – Selected “Omaggio ad Albisola nella ceramica del ‘900”, 5° Rassegna Nazionale Albissola, Museo Civico d’Arte Contemporanea, Albissola Marina, Italy, (catalogue).
2005 – First Prize ex-aequo, “Sale in corpo”, Ente ceramica Faenza, Ravenna , Italy.
2004 – First Prize, “Il vaso officinale”, Collegno, Torino, Italy (Catalogue).
2003 – Gold medal, “Il piatto da tavola”, Faenza, Italy.
1994 – First Prize, “Un disegno per la tavola”, Montelupo Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy.
1992 – Third prize, “Steelite International European Design Awards 1992” Stoke-on-Trent, England.
1989 – Selected, “Premio Murano”, 3rd edition, Venezia, Italy (Catalogue).
1985 – First Prize, “Oggetto d’uso e d’arredo per la casa”, XXV^ Concorso Internazionale Gualdo Tadino, Perugia, Italy ( Catalogue).
1981 – Prize town hall of Reggio Calabria, “2° Concorso Nazionale della Ceramica”, Reggio Calabria, Italy, (catalogue).

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
– Campionario, Istituto Statale d’Arte “Gaetano Ballardini”, Faenza (Ravenna), Italy (1975).
– Collezione Ceramica Contemporanea, Istituto Statale d’Arte “Frangipane”, Reggio Calabria, Italy (1981).
– Laboratorio di “Giocare con L’arte”, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza – MIC, Faenza (Ravenna), Italy (1984).
– Raccolta della Ceramica Contemporanea, Istituto Statale d’Arte “ F. A. Grue”, Castelli (Teramo), Italy (1986).
– Archivio Industriale Bitossi, Montelupo Fiorentino (Firenze), Italy (1992).
– Museum Ariana, Geneève, Switzerland.
– Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza – MIC, Faenza (Ravenna), Italy (1989).Centro di Documentazione della
– Piastrella di Ceramica Italiana, Assopiastrelle, Sassuolo (Modena), Italy (1995).
– Museo della Ceramica, Raccolta Contemporanea, Castello di Spezzano di Fiorano, Fiorano Modenese (Modena), Italy (2000).
– Museo Internazionale della Donna nell‘Arte, Scontrone (L‘Aquila), Italy (2002)
– Giardino dell‘Arte, Istituto Statale d’Arte “Felice Faccio”, Castellamonte (Torino), Italy (2003).
– Toki Municipal Institute of Ceramics, Toki-shi, Japan (2005-2008).
– WOCEF collections, World Ceramic Exposition Foundation, South Korea (2007).
– Placas de Artistas, Paseo Santa Lucìa, Nuevo Leòn, Messico (2008).
– Coast City Art Gallery, Australia (2008).
– Museu de Ceràmica de l’Alcora, Spain (2008).
– Talavera de la Reina, 4° Bienal International de ceramica “ Ciudad de Talavera” (2009).

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