Sebastiano Fischer

Ceramicist

Inspired by island life

Sebastiano's works capture the beauty of Pantelleria
His artistic research incorporates various techniques
He creates and formulates his glazes by experimentation

Sebastiano Fischer was born on the volcanic island of Pantelleria, a true gem off the southern coast of Sicily. His father, Klaus Peter Fischer, was a ceramicist, who had opened his studio on the island in the 1970s. At the age of 17, Sebastiano decided to follow in his footsteps and went to study in Faenza, where he specialised in majolica, and later graduated in sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. Since 2003, he has taken over his father’s workshop, where he creates evocative works inspired by the rough and rugged nature of this breathtaking island. “I have always loved art, and being able to create something from nothing,” he explains. “I have handled clay ever since I was a child, and I have always loved this means of expression, because it allows you an enormous freedom of form.”

Interview

Is ceramics a traditional craft in Pantelleria?: I am the only ceramicist on the island. What ties my craft to my homeland is that the island itself is my primary source of inspiration. In addition, it gives me the opportunity to source countless types of materials and substances, which I incorporate into my work.
How does the island inspire your work?: I am fortunate to live on a beautiful island, full of contrasts and countless shades of colours, where the lava rock creates strong and material landscapes. In my ceramics I try to recreate the energy of the solid magma and the brilliance of nature and the sea.
What techniques do you use?: I work the clay on the lathe and sometimes freehand. I mainly use raku firing and more rarely saggar. I create my glazes using materials that I find on the island, such as volcanic sand, clays, quartz, obsidian, and water from the Mirror of Venus, a volcanic lake rich in minerals that alter the shades of the glazes.
How would you describe your work?: It’s a constant search within the material, in the sinuosity of the form. It’s a combination of countless elements, with which I strive to achieve an overall harmony. It’s the freedom to try to create beauty through the boundless world that never bores you, but most of the time amazes you.

Sebastiano Fischer is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2009