Figures with a magical purpose
- Gianluca learned the craft of ceramic sculpture with his father
- He makes figures and figurines that belong to the realm of the fantastical
- He is passionate about the human body and the history of mankind
Gianluca Morlin is an artist who plunges viewers into a world of memories and deep beliefs. His childhood was spent with his artist father, a ceramicist and renowned sculptor, by whose side young Gianluca made his first ceramic toys. Self-taught by simply observing his father's work, Gianluca first loved ceramics, then travelled and studied in search of other stimuli to forge his artistic identity. He is passionate about art and the human figure. "My ceramic sculptures have five mothers: anatomy, archaeology, anthropology, anthroposophy, and alchemy," he explains. These concepts are what has forged his aesthetic in ceramics. He opened his ceramics studio in 1984, favouring artistic creations over function.
Interview
- What do you like most about your craft?
- My energy comes from the sense of freedom in shaping my thoughts into an object. I prefer to work at night, inspired by silence and the magic of darkness that envelops everything before becoming light. Darkness eventually transforms into colour, and colours later speak to us through ceramics.
- Why do you use iron nails in your work?
- I have the feeling I was a carpenter in a previous life. I favour iron as it is a strong material, a stark contrast with the fragility of ceramic that can easily break. Using vintage nails in my pieces – the rustier the better – gives me the illusion of avoiding destruction.
- Could you describe your aesthetic?
- I delve into art and anthropology. I rely on the techniques of ceramicists of the past and am inspired by ancient cultures, such as Etruscan, Nuragic, Pre-Hispanic and African cultures. My research and study of these, as well as my travel memories are what I reinterpret through clay.
- What kind of rapport do you have with your creations?
- It is hard to let them go. I do have an intimate connection with them. I often donate pieces to people I like and sometimes refuse to sell a piece if I feel there is a negative vibe. I have sold pieces that I then missed, but I know they are in good and safe hands.
Gianluca Morlin is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2000
Where
Gianluca Morlin
