Open-air museum and laboratory for young people: the rebirth of Ibis Ceramica

From furnace to hotbed of ideas, from an art laboratory to the workshop of the new generations of keepers of an ancient, but timeless art, that of ceramics.

In fact, “The” ceramics, which, in Cunardo, has a name, Ibis, and a surname, Robustelli, who has announced the creation of an association that will gravitate around the famous atelier. Some time ago, Giorgio Robustelli (see photo) had sent a message to the local community to ensure that this heritage, which was founded by his parents during the 1950s, and which is a keen destination for artists from all over the world, would not be lost. During one of the first evenings of the 141tour, in the suburban theatre of Cassano Valcuvia, his speech to the audience was both emotional and sad: “Let’s not lose this heritage.”

Today, the news is that something is moving; there will be an association, with four founding partners, which will have a twin purpose: to turn the company Ibis into an open-air museum, and to give young artists an opportunity to use the knowledge and the facilities that this place makes available to art (in the photo, the laboratories).

For now, the details of the operation have not yet been defined, but the news has been confirmed by Robustelli himself. “Yes, that’s right; the association is going to be formed in the next few days, and soon, everyone will be able to enjoy the works of artists from all over the world, in an open-air museum. Anyone will be able to admire the works in ceramic, arranged along a wall,” the artist explained. “Also, the idea is to create different categories of partner: ‘ordinary partners’, who just support the operation, and ‘artist-partners’, who will be given the chance to use the laboratory, especially the younger ones.” One objective of the association is to organise courses and events, like the one that Giorgio has in mind for 5 July. “We’re going to organise a book exhibition dedicated to this project, together with Alberto Casiraghi, the publisher of Pulcinoelefante.”

FROM THE BLOG 141TOUR

In his atelier, Giorgio Robustelli gathered the testimony of his parents, who, after the Second World War, welcomed international ceramic artists to their furnace-laboratory in Cunardo. Among the illustrious artists who stayed there, we can read about Fontana and Burri, about Guttoso and Ennio Morlotti, about Baj and Schumacher. The presence of Aldo Carpi is important, as is the memory of the amusing quarrels between Guttoso and Alberto Milani. Piero Chiara also came to Le Fornaci to dabble, and even left a collection of hand-painted plates, which have been reproduced on the covers of some of his novels. Vittorio Tavernari produced his unique ceramics for his friends, the Robustellis. The Frattinis, father and son, Spaventa Filippi and Sergio Pasetto, Gottardo Ortelli and Luciano Ferriani also liked to work here.