Tony Cragg - Alberto Garutti - Martin Disler - Bettina Pousttchi - Alex Dorici - Thomas Virnich - Véronique Arnold Ceramica / Céramique / Keramik
We are pleased to announce the opening of an exhibition devoted entirely to ceramics. The show features the work of seven artists: Tony Cragg (*1949, Liverpool), Alberto Garutti (*1948, Galbiate), Martin Disler (1949, Seewen – 1996, Geneva), Bettina Pousttchi (*1971, Mainz), Alex Dorici (*1979, Lugano), Thomas Virnich (*1957, Eschweiler) and Véronique Arnold (*1973, Strasbourg).
One of the most ancient materials in human history, ceramics has been used to produce pottery, crockery, decorations and construction materials since the origins of man. Properties like elasticity, wear resistance and durability have allowed a widespread use of ceramics in both sculpture and architecture. In all of its different forms (firing temperatures, composition, glazes, paint, etc.), ceramics has been an integral part of the history of human evolution since antiquity.
The exhibition at Agra takes a look at contemporary artistic production focusing on ceramics. The show includes the work of seven of the gallery’s artists: Sir Tony Cragg (knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in June 2016) presents works from the 1990s, and two more recent small sculptures. Alberto Garutti, well known for his radical and conceptual approach to art, has created a work especially for this exhibition. The show also features several terracotta pieces by Martin Disler that were recently displayed at the Kunsthalle in Bielefeld and published in the exhibition catalogue. Drawing inspiration from her special interest in architecture, the Berlin-based German-Iranian artist Bettina Pousttchi produces works in which seriality and spatial dynamism delineate a substantial equilibrium of form. Alex Dorici’s installation is inspired by the azulejo tiles of Portugal’s architectural tradition. There are also glazed ceramic works by Thomas Virnich, some of which were presented in early 2016 in Tony Cragg’s venue in Wuppertal. Finally, Véronique Arnold presents a delicate, poetic new work alluding to Japanese traditions relating to the passing of time and the ephemeral existence of human beings.
These artists put forward a wealth of different interpretations of a common medium, ceramics. Some works recall the plant or the animal kingdom; others reflect on the relationship between architecture and space; still others engage directly with the surrounding environment. The exhibition offers a varied, singular group of works centring on the artistic ceramic production of local and international artists, providing an opportunity to discover new stimuli and to be amazed by the uniqueness of the works.
For further information:
Buchmann Galerie
Via Gamee, CH-6927 Agra (Collina d’Oro)
Open by appointment
Abbiamo il grande piacere di annunciare l’apertura della mostra tematica dedicata interamente alla ceramica. Sette gli artisti in mostra: Tony Cragg (*1949, Liverpool), Alberto Garutti (*1948, Galbiate), Martin Disler (1949, Seewen-1996, Ginevra), Bettina Pousttchi (*1971, Mainz), Alex Dorici (*1979, Lugano),Thomas Virnich (*1957, Eschweiler), Véronique Arnold (*1973, Strasbourg).
La ceramica è uno dei più antichi materiali utilizzati dall’uomo sin dalle sue origini per produrre vasellame, stoviglie, decorazioni o materiale per la costruzione di abitazioni. Le sue proprietà plastiche, la resistenza e la durata nel tempo hanno permesso una grande diffusione della ceramica sia in scultura che in architettura. La ceramica, in tutte le sue forme (diversi gradi di cottura, composizione di materiali diversi, smaltata, dipinta e via dicendo) è parte integrante della storia evolutiva dell’essere umano sin dall’antichità.
L’esposizione tematica di Agra intende gettare uno sguardo sulla produzione artistica contemporanea in cui l’utilizzo della ceramica è al centro dell’attenzione. In mostra le opere di sette artisti della Galleria; Sir Tony Cragg, (da giugno 2016 nominato Cavaliere dalla Regina Elisabetta II) presenta dei lavori realizzati nel corso degli anni Novanta e due piccole sculture più recenti. Alberto Garutti, noto per il suo approccio artistico radicale e concettuale, ha concepito e creato un’opera appositamente per la mostra. Inserite nel percorso espositivo vi sono più opere in terracotta di Martin Disler esposte di recente alla Kunsthalle di Bielefeld e riprodotte nel relativo catalogo della mostra. L’artista tedesco iraniana Bettina Pousttchi, traendo spunto dal particolare interesse per l’architettura, realizza delle opere in cui serialità e dinamismo spaziale disegnano un sostanziale equilibrio della forma. Alex Dorici è presente con una sua installazione ispirata all’azulejo, piastrella in ceramica appartenente alla tradizione architettonica del Portogallo. Saranno esposte anche opere in ceramica smaltata di Thomas Virnich, in parte presentate ad inizio 2016 nello spazio espositivo di Tony Cragg a Wuppertal. Véronique Arnold propone infine un nuovo lavoro, delicato e poetico, che fa riferimento alla tradizione giapponese in relazione allo scorrere del tempo e all’effimera esistenza dell’essere umano.
Una proposta ricca di interpretazioni differenti basate su di un comune medium che è la ceramica; opere che rievocano il mondo vegetale e altre quello animale, opere che riflettono sul rapporto tra architettura e spazio, altre ancora che si relazionano direttamente all’ambiente circostante. La mostra offre un gruppo di lavori variegato e singolare incentrato sulla produzione artistica in ceramica di artisti locali e internazionali. Un’occasione per scoprire nuovi stimoli e lasciarsi stupire dalla particolarità delle opere.
Per maggiori informazioni:
Buchmann Galerie
Via Gamee, CH-6927 Agra (Collina d’Oro)
Aperto su appuntamento
Tony Cragg
Born 1949 in Liverpool. Lives and works in Wuppertal, Germany.
Martin Disler
born 1949 in Seewen/CH, died 1996 in Geneva.
Alex Dorici
Born in 1979 in Lugano from an Italo-Portuguese family. He studied at the artistic high school G. Terragni, Como, at the SUPSI, Lugano, and the Accademia Aldo Galli, Como where in 2005 he obtained his degree in etching and painting. He worked for 5 years in Paris. He lives and works in Lugano.
GRANTS AND AWARDS
2018 Special award “Artist in Gallery”, international competition Arte Laguna Prize, Venice
2017 Honorable Mention by the Académie de Lettres et Arts Luso-Suísse
for the spread and development of Portuguese culture abroad
2015 First prize for the realization of the work Installation Rope 125 meters Light
Punto Città Pregassona, Città di Lugano
2014 The Bally Foundation for Culture has named Alex Dorici as Bally Artist of the Year
The CULT TV program of the Radio Televisione della Svizzera Italiana (RSI), which oversees
cultural and artistic promotion nominates Alex Dorici as its: "Artist Cult 2013"
2004 2nd place, Vittorio Viviani Prize, Milan
2nd prize at the Biennale d'incisione, Como
2003 1st prize with the short film “Saudade Itamar” in the video section of t he Angelo
Tenchio Study Competition, Como
PERMANENT INSTALLATIONS
2019 NeuralRope#1. Inside an Artificial Brain, in collaboration with Luca Maria Gambardella
pedestrian tunnel Lugano-Besso
Portugal al cubo #729, Scuola Media Caslano
2018 Scotch Drawing White #21032018 urban intervention realized
at the Valsangiacomo Centre Chiasso
2017 Portugal al cubo #245, Restaurant Agua, Lugano
2016 Azulejos Light Line #844, ex Buchmann Galerie, Agra
Installation Rope 300 meters Light, Torre del Capitano, Morcote
2015 Installation ROPE 250 light, Punto Città, Pregassona, Città di Lugano
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022 Linhas de Produçao, Centro de Arte Contemporanea Graça Morais, Bragança, Portugal
2021 Geometric Series, Buchmann Lugano
2020 Diario di Viaggio, Buchmann Lugano
Pop Up Room Blue Line, Lugano
2019 Dois Quartos 2/4, Galeria Fernando Santos, Porto
2018 Pinacoteca Comunale Casa Rusca, Locarno
2017 Portugal al cubo #729, Buchmann Lugano
#9 Rooms, Art Foundation Erich Lindenberg / Museeum Villa Pia, Porza
2015 Pointillism Garden Balls #2, Buchmann Lugano
Cromie, personal exhibition of etchings and prints from the Parisian period 2005-2010
at Panizza exhibition room, "Il Brunitoio", Ghiffa
2014 3D light cube, Galleria Arrivada, Chur
Save the Whale, installation realized in occasion of the Longlake Urban Art Festival, Lugano
2013 Scotch Drawing #07072013, urban intervention realized in the great hall of the Università
della Svizzera italiana, promoted by Arte Urbana Lugano on the occasion
of Street Art Longlake Festival, Lugano
Videoinstallazione extra muros, curated by Riccardo Lisi
Spazio d’arte contemporanea La Rada Locarno in collaboration with i2A, Vico Morcote
2012 Social Implosion, curated by Michele Balmelli, Artelier, Lugano
2011 Stiamo lavorando per voi, curated by Valeria Donnarumma and Arte Urbana Lugano
Exhibition space Lab-Comacina, Lugano
2010 Installazione modulare # 1000 Color, curated by Marcel Scheidegger work commissioned
by graphic arts industry Fratelli Roda, Taverne
2008 Cube de la paix, curated by the cultural services of the city of Malakoff, Paris
Installazione modulare #664, curated by Hervé Gérland, ex Cinema Marcel Puyol, Paris
2007 Installazione modulare #1140 moduli, Artelier,Lugano
2006 Filosofia della forma, curated by Vítor Nogueira and Alexandro Castro
Centro culturale Vila Real e Bragança, Portogallo
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022 SINOPIA, SINOPSIA, SINAPSI, Casa degli Artisti, Milan
Cabane, La Nef, Le Noirmont
2021 Nach Rauschen, Chur
Vorüber_Gehend Idylle und Künstlichkeit,
7. Biennale Weiertal 2021, Winterthur
Dietikon Lichtkunst Erleben 2021, Dietikon
2020 Biennale Bregaglia 2020, Bondo-Promontogno, Val Bregaglia
Bex & Arts, Triennial of Contemporary Sculpture, Bex
2019 Begegnungen 2019, Kunstprojekt beim Rosenhügel, Chur
2018 neoscope 18 - Junge Kunst reflektiert zofiscope 1974, installation Azulejo Light Line
performance Scotch Drawing, Kunsthaus Zofingen
Jetzt Kunst no°6, Max Frisch Bad, Zurich
Lo spazio ritrovato, Rassegna d’arte pubblica, Morcote
Sm’arte 2018, Street Art Festival, Braganca, Portugal
2017 Ceramica / Céramique / Keramik, with Tony Cragg, Alberto Garutti
Martin Disler Bettina Pousttchi, Thomas Virnich, Véronique Arnold, Buchmann Galerie, Agra
2016 Un percorso d’arte, Public Art, Morcote
2015 Jungkunst, Container museum, Winterthur
Flowers for you, Buchmann Galerie Agra
Nulla dies sine linea, con Zimoun , Arlette Ochsner, Monika Feucht , Maja Rieder,
Kunsthaus, Zofingen
2014 Seguire il filo del discorso, with Marco D’Anna (photographs)
Alberto Garutti (artwork), Buchmann Galerie Agra
It’s About Time, curated by Daniela Hermosilla, Alte Kindl Brauerei, Berlin
2013 Artelier 14°. Group exhibition by Alex Dorici, Luigi Boccadamo
Daniel Kemeny and Andreas Fischbach, curated by Michele Balmelli, Artelier, Lugano
Premio Giovani artisti 2013, Fondazione Gino a Gianna Macconi with M.A.X Museo, Chiasso
L’AM. L’arte della memoria, curated by EGO Gallery and Ticino off Villa Ambrosetti, Gentilino
Lightness, curated by Paola Silvia Ubiali
Galleria Marella arte moderna e contemporanea, Bergamo
Arspolis #3, contemporary art event in the city, curated by Michele Balmelli, Lugano
2012 Jungkunst, curated by Martin Landolt, Halle 52 Winterthur
KunstNacht, curated by Richard Tisserand, Kreuzlingen
Lightness Collective Show, curated by Maria Grazia Lurgo, MyaLurgo Gallery, Lugano
2011 Going Public, curated by Paolo Bianchi, Barbarian Art Gallery, Zurich
Open Gallery #2, Coldretor, curated by Riccardo Lisi, Artelier, Lugano
2008 Paristoutcourt, 6° International Short Film Festival, Paris
L’Atelier Contrepoint curated by Matej Longyka, Maat Gallery, Paris
2007 Paris 1927/2007, Atelier 17- Contrepoint, International Engraving Exhibition
L' Arte e il Torchio, Museo Civico Ala Ponzone, Cremona, Italia
Biennial of engraving, City of Evora, Portugal
Alberto Garutti
Born in 1948 in Galbiate. Died in 2023.
Lived and worked in Milan
Bettina Pousttchi
Born 1971 in Mainz. Lives and works in Berlin.
Thomas Virnich
Born 1957 in Eschweiler. Lives and works in Mönchengladbach.