Ceramics shaped by emotions and memories
- Evandro is an experienced ceramicist who has specialised in sculpting
- His creative process is anchored in a sense of freedom and fascination with the past
- He opened the first gallery entirely dedicated to ceramic art in Rome in 2024
Evandro Gabrieli is both teacher and artist, and chose ceramics as his means of expression. He trained at the School of Ornamental Arts in Rome, specialising in ceramic sculpture. Evandro refined his craft by attending workshops with notable artists, such as Nino Caruso, Alberto Bustos, Rafa Perez and Jeff Shapiro. In his studio in Rome, he creates sculptures and objects of use, in continuous formal and technical experimentation. “My creativity manifests itself the same way a language flows. It is a communicative impulse that is expressed in the relationship between gesture and matter,” Evandro says. His works have been showcased in prestigious exhibition spaces. He is the co-founder of Officine Ceramiche Roma, a coworking space for ceramics that offers courses, workshops, consultancy and collaborations. In 2024, Evandro opened the Gabrieli Evandro Gallery & Studio, which is the first gallery entirely dedicated to ceramic sculptures in Rome.
INTERVIEW
My creativity is fuelled by the feeling of life and the need to communicate. Sometimes I draw on my memories or my fears. Other times, when I receive commissions or themed works, I simply try to integrate that theme into my life and into my way of perceiving and relating to reality.
I have always had a preference for materials that recall natural textures, as well as for the colours of water and earth. I tend to follow a more instinctive gesture. I feel the need to deconstruct and even subvert the rules in order to find a personal path. I think this personal reworking is what distinguishes my work.
I love that I do not perceive what I do as a job. I have dedicated many years of my life to this passion that has also become my livelihood. However, I believe that the pleasure I feel in working and teaching ceramics is a privilege reserved for few.
I had the honour of meeting the master Nino Caruso, whose texts I studied when I was a student, and exhibited alongside him. Having Nino as a teacher in the last years of his life was unforgettable. Another memorable moment was exhibiting at the Triennale di Milano for the show Fittile, curated by Ugo La Pietra, and being selected as a finalist for the 63rd Faenza Prize, an acknowledgement of my work for 30 years.
