Current Work

Currently working with "Majolica", Italian and Mediterranean traditional technique. Low temperature and color very shiny. Until a couple of years ago "I was drawing very thicky on my ceramic surface. Now I need to express with forms and colours, even if I will draw again"

See pdf of CITY INTO THE CITY - CITTA’ NELLA CITTA’
An installation made by 100 glazed, painted forms.
Covering by aluminium.
Dimensions:
300 cm diameter. 55 cm maximum height. 2009
Installazione composta da 100 forme in ceramica smaltata e dipinta.
Rivestimento in foglia di alluminio.
Dimensioni:
diametro 300 cm. altezza massima 55 cm. 2009 

Work available at:
Animali Domestici, Italian Arts and Design, London

What happened at the Gyeonggi International Biennale, Summer Residency Program 2011, Icheon,  Korea?

Artist's Statement

At the beginning of my career in ceramics drawing was above all to me. I enjoyed drawing on the white varnish of majolica: smooth and absorbent. I used to paint on any surface that was covered by this support: plates, cylinders, jugs, vases. Every shape suited the need to express myself through my drawings.

Only later on I learnt how to communicate through shapes and volumes. I began to study more carefully the expressive possibilities of the clay itself and its modelling. Along with this, I started to consider the surfaces of my pieces as abstract textures as well as to use pure pigments.

Although at this point I had started to put more attention on the technique itself, I never wanted to get stuck in the technical research that often characterizes ceramics (an obsessive attention for degrees centigrades and milligrams): to me it demands a lot of time and attention that the artist should rather use for his expressive and artistic research.

Since then I worked on various series of pieces, I never wanted to deepen just one of the aspects I explored. The presence or the absence of drawing allowed me to commincate very different feelings and messages.
"People and Disasters" is a series of big vases, they are completely covered by drawings representing scenes from the bustle of the urban enviroment. "Spy Game" is a group of modular pieces that mocks the excessive control on people and territory by CCTV cameras. "Experimental Vegatables" is a series of sculptures inspired by the genetical research and manipulation of the vegetable world.

My source of inspiration is the everyday world and its absurd contradictions. I find rather ironic to put in people's houses and lives my violent and grotesque drawing, often disguised as pretty decorations. I think that majolica is a unique place where sculpture and drawing meet each other, I find amazing to be able to express cruel aspects of the contemporary world through such an antique artistic technique.

All'inizio era solo il disegno. Intendo l'inizio del mio percorso ceramico. Sopratutto durante i primi anni di lavoro dipingevo su qualsiasi cosa fosse rivestita da questo materiale: piatti, cilindri, brocche, lastre, vasi.Prendevo questi oggetti, li pulivo, li immergevo nello smalto liquido e li aggredivo con la punta dei miei pennelli. Ho dovuto consumare parecchi pennelli per imparare a comunicare anche attraverso la forma e il volume.

Per capire che la superficie non e' la sola cosa che conta. In seguito a questa grande scoperta ho dedicato maggior attenzione alla materia primaria, la terra, concentrandomi sulla foggiatura dell'opera, sul volume, sul movimento della forma. Raramente mi servo del tornio per modellare le mie ceramiche. La tecnica che prediligo e' il colombino. Costruire pian piano una forma, vederla crescere centimetro dopo centimetro e' entusiasmante e, allo stesso tempo, infonde grande calma.

Cominciai anche ad usare pigmenti e smalti colorati, puri o mescolandoli tra loro, senza farmi pero' trascinare nel vortice pericoloso della ricerca tecnologica, dei pesi e dei contenitori graduati. Da quel momento ho sempre portato avanti diverse tipologie di opere, alternandole a seconda delle necessita' espressive. Tipologie che differiscono tra loro prevalentemente per l'assenza o la predominanza del disegno. Cosi nascono e si sviluppano serie di opere come "People & Desasters"; grandi vasi completamente ricoperti da disegni che rappresentano scene di follia collettiva. "Spy Game"; opere singole o moduli che si moltiplicano per diventare installazione, che ironizzano sull'eccessivo controllo del territorio e dell'individuo. "Experimental Vegetables"; che si ispira alla ricerca genetica sui vegetali.

Questa e' la mia fonte d'ispirazione; la quotidianita' con le sue assurde contraddizioni. Le sue inquietanti evoluzioni. Trovo che sia piuttosto ironico e dissacrante far entrare nella vita delle persone e nelle loro case i miei segni grotteschi e violenti mascherati da graziosa decorazione, fingendosi frivoli complementi d'arredo. Penso sempre alla maiolica come ad un felice incontro tra scultura e pittura ed e' molto gratificante avere la consapevolezza che si possa esprimere contemporaneita' attraverso la piu antica delle tecniche artistiche.  

History

Studies
1979 - 1982 - Undergraduate National School of Art, Gargnano, Brescia, Italy
1988 - 1989 - Ceramic Professional Center Training, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy
1990 - 1992 - Ceramic Art National School G. Ballardini, Majolica Departement, Faenza, Ravenna, Italy

Teaching Experiences
1995 - 1996 - Teacher of ceramic decoration - Ceramic Professional Training Center, Faenza Ravenna, Italy
1997 - Teacher of ceramic decoration and mould - Ceramic Professional Training Center, Marradi, Florence, Italy
1999 - Teacher of ceramic decoration, Ceramic Professional Training Center, Bisignano, Cosenza, Italy

Lectures
1996 - National School of Ceramic Art G. Ballardini, Faenza, Ravenna
1997 - International Museum of Ceramics, Faenza, Ravenna
1998 - Art and Ceramic Art Foundation, Buenos Aires, Argentina
1999 - Chungkang College of Cultural Design, Ichon, Seoul, Korea. Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea. Chungnam National University, Taejon, Korea. Kyungsung University, Pusan, Korea. Chonnam National University, Kwangju,Korea
2000 - Chungkang College of Cultural Design, Ichon, Seoul, Korea. Chungnam National University, Taejon, Korea. Kyungsung University, Pusan, Korea. Kookmin University, Seoul, Korea.
2003 - Alfred University, Ceramic Departement, Alfred, New York, USA. New York University, Ceramic Departement, New York, USA
2004 - National University, Torino, Italy, Art Departement. International Symposyum, Gmunden, Austria.
2005 - Artist in residence at New York University - ceramic department (with Judith Schwartz) - New York, USA; Artist in residence at Estonian Academy of Art - Tallin, Estonia

Selected Exhibitions

2010 Collaboration with Philippe Starck Network for project at Mori Venice Bar, Paris +"il gioco dell’uovo" Collective exhibition at Galleria dell'Incisione, Brescia, Italy + Collective exhibition at Entratalibera, Salone del Mobile 2010, Milan, Italy + Designpositive, Collective exhibition, Salone del Mobile 2010, Milan, Italy 

2009 Collaboration with Philippe Starck Network, Palazzina Grassi Hotel, Venice, Italy + Collective exhibition at Entratalibera, Salone del Mobile 2009, Milan, Italy + "Fresh Air 2009" collective sculpture exhibition, The Quenington Sculpture Trust, Quenington Old Rectory, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK 

2008 Confrontational Ceramics, collective exhibition at Arts Exchange, White Plains, NY, USA  + Collaboration with Philippe Starck Network, Hotel Le Meurice, Paris, France  +  Le Meridien Hotels, Los Angeles and private house’s projects. + "Fausto Salvi", solo exhibition at Animali Domestici gallery, London, UK  +  Selected at the Vallauris Contemporary Biennale 2008, Vallauris, France 

2007 "Fresh Air 2007", collective sculpture exhibition ,The  Quenington Sculpture Trust, Quenington Old Rectory Cirencester, Gloucestershire , UK  +   Selected at the 5th Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2007, Italian Pavillion, Cheongju , South Korea   +  "Waiting for an answer", solo exhibition at Maure Zilioli Contemporary Art,  Brescia, Italy 2006 "Casati-Pigoni-Salvi",  collective exhibition at Venticorrenti Gallery, Milan, Italy 

 2006 - Selected at XIX International Biennale, Vallauris-France, Collect - Contemporary Applied Art Fair, V and A Museum - London, UKMIART - Modern and contemporary Art Fair, Milan, Italy 

2005 - Galerie l'Evenement, Vallauris, France. - solo exhibition
Miart - modern and contemporary art fair - Milan - Italy
Artist in residence at New York University, NYC
Selected at International Ceramic Competition, Faenza, Italy
Selected at VII Bienal Internacional, Aveiro - Portugal
Selected at International Competition, Carouge - Switzerland
Selected at VII Bienal Internacional de Ceramica, Manises-Spain
2004 - Invited to the International Ceramics Journals Editors Show - The younger generation of ceramic artist, China
Invited to The 3rd International Keramik Symposium 2004, Gmunden, Austria
MIART, Contemporary Art Fair, Milan, Italy
2003 - Invited at the National contemporary ceramic exhibition & competition, Vietri sul Mare, Salerno, Italy
SILVER PRIZE at the World Ceramic Biennale 2003 Korea,Icheon + Gwangju + Yeoju, Korea
Collateral exhibition during the 53rd International Ceramic Competition, Faenza 2003, Intern.Museum of Faenza, Italy
2002 - "Vegetalisperimentali", solo exhibition, Magenta52 Gallery, Milan, Italy
Selected at International Competition Vallauris 2002, Vallauris, France
2001 - "VegetalisperiMentali", solo exhibition, Luciano Colantonio Gallery, Brescia, Italy
Purchase-Prize at 3rd Ceramic National Competition, Albisola, Savona, Italy
Solo exhibition, To-Art Gallery, International Ceramic Fair, Seoul, Korea
Collective exhibition, World ceramic Fair, To-Art Gallery, Ichon, Korea
2000 - Selected at International Biennale Vallauris 2000, Vallauris, France
"Salvi+ceramics", Tho Art Gallery, solo exhibition, Seoul, Korea
"Salvi+ceramics", Seoul Art Fair, To-Art Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Pusan Art Fair, collective exhibition with N.C.Gallery, Pusan, Korea
Selected to The Sixth Taiwan Golden Ceramics Awards, Taiwan
1999 7th Salon Municipal de Avellaneda, collective exhibition, Buenos Aires, Argentina
6th International Ceramic Biennale, Aveiro, Portugal
Chung Kang College of Cultural Industries, workshop invitation, Ichon, Korea
1998 - Collective exhibition, Museum of the Game, Switzerland
Collective exhibition, Sarreguemines Museum,Sarreguemines, France
Solo exhibition with slide show,"Ceramic Space Foundation", Buenos Aires, Argentina
1997 - Selected at International Competition Fletcher Challenge, New Zealand
Selected at International Competition Kutani Ceramic Fair'97, Japan
Selected at World Art Ceramic Triennial, Zagreb, Croatia
Selected at 1st International Biennale of Carouge, Geneve, Switzerland
1996 - Solo exhibition Luciano Colantonio Gallery, Brescia, Italy
Bologna Art Fair, Italy
1st National Observatory of Art & Kraft, Invitational exhibition, Todi, Italy
Solo exhibition, Cheiros Gallery, Vicenza, Italy