Antonio Violetta on Ceramics, Earth, and Sculpture

Antonio Violetta, born in 1953 in Crotone, made his artistic debut in 1976 at Galleria Ferrari in Verona. He gained fame following a 1980 exhibition at Françoise Lambert in Milan. In 1982, he showcased 'Momenti di pietra' and 'Cieli' at Documenta 7. Since the early 1980s, his primary medium has been earth, highlighted in 'Pagine' during the 1986 Venice Biennale. Violetta has concentrated on the human figure since 1994. His early work 'Utopia' (1976) featured experiments with tarred paper, and he appreciates graphite powder for its ability to capture light. 'Luogo d’aurora' (1983-1987) stemmed from discussions with Sandro Sproccati, while he drew inspiration from Henry Moore and Alberto Giacometti, to whom he wrote a poem in 1992.