PRIMITIVIS 2024 - OCA PRIZE EXHIBITION CATALOG

CATALOGUE COLLECTIVE EXHIBITION "OCA/OFFICINE CERAMIC AWARD - RETURN TO THE ORIGINS: EXPLORING PRIMITIVISM IN CERAMIC DESIGN " Matres 2024

MATRES FESTIVAL 2024 exhibitions PRIMITIVISM OCA AWARD 2024

Officine Ceramiche Award (by Pandora Ceramiste&CeramicAAlta) is the Pandora Association's competition promoting international contemporary ceramics since 2018 with the presentation of design works mainly in ceramics with the broadest involvement of the contemporary art, design and decorative arts world.

It is within the framework of the 7th edition of the Matres International Festival of Women's Ceramics - PRIMITIVISM 2024, that the 2nd edition of this OCA/OFFICINE CERAMICS AWARD - RETURN TO THE ORIGINS: EXPLORING PRIMITIVISM IN CERAMIC DESIGN at the Monumental Complex of San Giovanni - Cava de' Tirreni (SA) August 21- 25, 2024 was held. THEME OF THE COMPETITION EXHIBITION of this edition was primitivism in contemporary ceramic design. Participants were invited to explore and reinterpret the essence and aesthetics of ancient ceramic techniques, primitive motifs, natural materials and cultural symbols through their work. A unique opportunity for ceramic designers to explore the theme of primitivism through an exhibition dedicated to contemporary ceramics.

The Competition Selection Committee Officine Ceramiche Award 2024 chaired by Francesco Santoro was also composed of Claudio Gambardella, Gabriella Taddeo, Enrico De Nicola and Mauro Improta.

Officine Ceramiche Award 2024 sought to primarily promote the crossing of the more or less clear-cut boundary between contemporary art, collectible design and applied arts with an even more selective feature this year. Primitivism therefore invited with the challenge artists and designers to nominate sculptures, handmade everyday objects, even partially produced in ceramics - (Among the features was in fact allowed the use of other materials in a non-prevalent way) - created in the last two years.

The Commission, on the basis of the works received, surveyed afterwards carefully screened by the same meeting at the exhibition venue of the Complex of San Giovanni in Cava de' Tirreni, drew up the final ranking based on arithmetic logic and deriving from an evaluative grid composed of the six points extracted from the published announcement, then assigning to each one a score from 1 to 10 for the following values : (a) sustainability; (b) collectible; (c) adherence to the theme of the call; (d) multi materiality; (e) size; and (f) creativity/originality.

The following are the decisions of the Selection Committee.

First prize ROBBIE MAZZARO - Under the Mistral Wind - on the following grounds: R.M.'s pair of tall liquid containers are distinguished by extreme essentiality of design without compromising full compliance with the competition.

Second prize PIERA MAUTONE - Abbicci'- with the following justification: P.M.'s vase results from a balanced study of the shape of the decorations on the outer surface and the monochromatic glaze applied to its interior.

Third Prize ExAquo LOREDANA AVAGLIANO - Nutcracking heritage -. e ELISABETTA D'ARIENZO - Human Element.

First: Responded to the theme of the competition by making a set of three spherical elements (for breaking walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds) evocative of the content, realizing an effective dialogue between form and function.

The second motivation: E.D.A.'s lidded bowl is a memorial object characterized by great technical expertise in the working of the material and the study of enamels.

Finally, the committee wanted to award additional awards out of competition:

the award CAREER REPORTS to LUCIO LIGUORI, SALVATORE SCALESE (SASASKA) and ANTONIO VESTITA For the undoubted mastery gained through prolonged artistic experience;

second mention as emerging artists to PANDORA ABILITY - Primordial Essence - For the collective work that reveals a gradual but sure evolution in the growth of these budding ceramists.