Luisa Gardini on Ceramics as an Extension of Painting

Luisa Gardini (b. 1935, Ravenna), a painter who studied under Toti Scialoja and was influenced by Cy Twombly, Alberto Burri, and Jackson Pollock, began working with ceramics in 2008 at Bottega Gatti in Faenza. She collaborates with Davide Servadei on photo-ceramics, combining large-scale photographic images with ceramic glazes to create unpredictable surface effects. Gardini describes her process as an 'invasion of matter' where engobe (liquid clay slip) is poured with a large brush, functioning as both color and texture. She often adds extraneous materials like colored paper or photo fragments. Unlike her earlier ephemeral sculptures, ceramic works are more durable but require acceptance of the kiln's transformative unpredictability. Her recent exhibition 'Grèspittura' underscores the fusion of painting and ceramics. The interview is part of Artribune's series 'Gli artisti e la ceramica' curated by Irene Biolchini, who teaches Contemporary Art at the University of Malta and is a guest curator at the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza.