Obsession: 50 Years of Italian Ceramics
From 30 May to 23 August 2026, the Decorative Arts and Design Museum (10 Skārņu Street, Riga) will present the exhibition “Obsession: 50 Years of Italian Ceramics”, tracing the development of Italian contemporary ceramics from the post-war period to the present day.
For the first time in Latvia, visitors will be able to discover a collection selected especially for Riga from the world-renowned and legendary International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza. The exhibition opens up a new cultural perspective not only on Italy, but also on the international context. It highlights Italy’s unique contribution to one of the most versatile media in the visual arts — ceramics — where sculpture, design and materiality converge. Bringing together works by 50 artists, the exhibition offers an insight into the development of the field over half a century, from its pioneers to the most prominent masters of the 21st century.
The concept is based on the idea of creative “obsession”: an intense and passionate exploration of ceramics that characterizes the practice of the artists represented. This art form has now become a sought-after interdisciplinary means of expression, encouraging public discussion on important issues while inspiring both artists and viewers. The exhibition surprises with innovative ideas, unusual forms and original technical solutions.
Visitors will have the opportunity to see vivid Italian ceramic masterpieces distinguished by their rich variety of forms. The exhibition opens with poetically nuanced compositions by Lucio Fontana, Fausto Melotti and Leoncillo Leonardi, followed by the sculptural experiments of the 1970s and 1980s. The display also features a range of contemporary practices, including works by Bertozzi & Casoni, Salvatore Arancio and Alessandro Roma.
A separate section is dedicated to emerging artists whose work has the power to reshape our perception of ceramics, presenting it as a dynamic and relevant language of contemporary art. Among them is Marco Ceroni, who explores subcultures and uses objects found on the outskirts of cities in his work, creating new visual images charged with philosophical meaning. By interpreting urban scenarios, he offers a futuristic and fragmented vision of contemporary society. The objects created by the studio Formafantasma stand out for their research-based exploration of diverse materials and underline the essential role of design in ecological, social and political contexts, as well as in future-oriented perspectives on history.
The exhibition at the Decorative Arts and Design Museum is part of the Latvian Ceramics Biennale’s interseason programme and is organized in cooperation with the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics and the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza (Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, MIC). Its aim is to foster intercultural dialogue and introduce Latvian audiences to significant developments in ceramic art worldwide.
The International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza was founded in 1908 and holds a collection of more than 60,000 objects, ranging from antiquity to the present day. The museum’s collection includes works by world-famous artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Fernand Léger, Alberto Burri and Lucio Fontana. The exhibition also features Latvian ceramic artists — award winners of the Faenza biennials — Pēteris Martinsons, Andris Vēzis and Juris Bergins. In 2011, Faenza was included in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in recognition of its ceramic traditions.
The curators of the exhibition are Claudia Casali, Director of the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, and representatives of the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics, Valentīns Petjko and Aivars Baranovskis. Their collaboration offers a nuanced view of the diverse manifestations of the ceramic medium in contemporary art.
The Decorative Arts and Design Museum continues its creative cooperation with the Latvian Centre for Contemporary Ceramics by organising international exhibitions. In previous years, the museum has hosted such important exhibitions as the 3rd Baltic Contemporary Ceramics Biennale “Creo Ergo Sum” (2021) and the South Korean contemporary ceramics exhibition “Self-Therapy” (2024).
The exhibition has been made possible with the support of the State Culture Capital Foundation and the Embassy of Italy in Latvia.
The exhibition is included in the Riga Art Week (RAW) program
See the full program