Giuseppe Cicalese

Ceramicist

©Jacopo Naddeo

Shaking up tradition

Giuseppe is a passionate ceramicist
He is mostly inspired by nature in the south of Italy
His grandmother was an embroiderer in Vietri

Giuseppe (Peppe) Cicalese has been exploring the potential of ceramics for 30 years in his studio in Cava de' Tirreni, in southern Italy, where he was born. He models and remodels objects from a limited repertoire, and works to break down shapes and expectations. After a strong traditional apprenticeship, during which he acquired technical training, and thanks to his encounter with the artist Pietro Lista, he embarked on his own research path. This led him to work on the themes of nature from his homeland, fully revealing his pictorial sensibility and his natural talent as a draftsman. His grandmother had encouraged this talent of his when he was a child. Giuseppe likes to play between imagination and realism, with hints and winks at archaic designs.

Interview

©Valerio De Felicis

©Jacopo Naddeo

What are your sources of inspiration?: Inspiration is always linked to nature for me: leaves, fish, stones, birds, sea, my land. In nature we can find everything we need, we just have to seize it and respect it. Anything can be nourishment, what you see in exhibitions, magazines, books; you have to always be an attentive observer.
What did you learn from artist Pietro Lista?: It was a crucial meeting with a very strong figure. He taught me dynamics previously unknown to me: the art of taking away. Above all, he gave me the courage to detach myself from the more traditional way, to take a personal path.
What do you love most about your profession?: The fact that, despite years of experience, when I open the kiln the emotion is still the same. When painting ceramics you have to imagine what it will be, not what you see as you work. That waiting is a magic that captures you. There are no certainties.
Does waiting play an important role in your craft?: All pottery is made of waiting. Clay is a natural material and its qualities provided by Mother Nature must be respected. Decades ago it took even more humility and dedication: in Vietri they use to fire only twice a year, every six months.

Giuseppe Cicalese is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1995 and he started teaching in 2022