Enzo Cucchi on Ceramics as Necessity and the Timelessness of Art

In an interview with Artribune, Italian artist Enzo Cucchi (born 1949 in Morro d'Alba) discusses his lifelong engagement with ceramics, which he considers a "necessary" material. His exhibition "ATTENZIONE alla PUTTANA SANTA" at ZERO… in Milan in 2020 showcases ceramic works that draw on the beauty of Roman fountains. Cucchi argues that anything from the past that reaches us is contemporary, rejecting overly theoretical art. He works without assistants in his studio, but collaborates with artisans for bronze and ceramic pieces, following advice from Ettore Sottsass. He praises master ceramist Goffredo Gaeta of Faenza for his alchemical lustre techniques. Cucchi dismisses the idea of a "return" to ceramics as a label, emphasizing that true artists work with the same inner materials throughout their lives. The interview is part of a series on artists and ceramics curated by Irene Biolchini, who teaches at the University of Malta and is a guest curator at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza.