Bertozzi & Casoni: Four Decades of Ceramic Innovation

Founded in 1980 in Imola, Bertozzi & Casoni — Giampaolo Bertozzi (born 1957, Borgo Tossignano, Bologna) and Stefano Dal Monte Casoni (born 1961, Lugo di Romagna, Ravenna) — have spent over thirty years elevating ceramics from a perceived 'minor art' to a respected contemporary medium. Both studied at the Scuola di ceramica in Faenza before collaborating with Cooperativa Ceramica in Imola. Initially working in maiolica, they created flat, pointillist compositions like the Minimi avanzi series (small tables with dishes and food scraps). In 1997, after encouragement from gallerist Gian Enzo Sperone, they shifted to industrial ceramic materials, producing more objective works. Their themes — transience, accumulation, and mortality — persist in recent exhibitions, including a 2019 show in Catanzaro curated by Michele Bonuomo, featuring thirty works such as the installation Terra! (barrels and industrial debris in ceramic). They cite Warhol and Manzoni as influences, and their practice involves a collaborative team they liken to a family. The duo expresses satisfaction that ceramics have gained international acclaim, partly due to their efforts.