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AVANT CRAFT JOURNAL
Stories of material, practice and design
.Avant Craft Journal explores contemporary Italian craft through artist interviews, visual narratives and editorial guides. From studio practices and exhibition reflections to ceramics, material culture and collecting, the Journal follows the ideas, gestures and places that give objects their meaning.
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Rossana Rubino. Cartaviva: Fragility, Matter and Transformation
Italian artist Rossana Rubino explores paper as a living material through sculpture and installation, transforming paper pulp, textile fibres and natural materials into works shaped by fragility, memory and change.
British Art Fair 2026: A Visual Narrative from Saatchi Gallery
A visual journey through British Art Fair 2026, exploring material, gesture and process across modern and contemporary British art, including selected works from Spotlight: Contemporary.
Italian Handmade Ceramics: Materials, Techniques & Contemporary Practice
A reference guide to Italian handmade ceramics, exploring materials, techniques, and regional traditions shaping contemporary ceramic practice.
SHOP LONDON CRAFT WEEK 2026 EXHIBITION
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Rossana Rubino. Cartaviva: Fragility, Matter and Transformation
Italian artist Rossana Rubino explores paper as a living material through sculpture and installation, transforming paper pulp, textile fibres and natural materials into works shaped by fragility, memory and change.
Alberto Gianfreda. Breaking as Possibility
Italian sculptor Alberto Gianfreda discusses ceramic sculpture, fragmentation and transformation, exploring how breaking can become a gesture of possibility.
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Kate Malone. Optimism in Clay: Nature, Growth and Transformation
British ceramic artist Kate Malone reflects on nature, crystalline glazes and the transformative force of clay, exploring optimism, control and unpredictability, the evolution of the Pumpkin, relationships with collectors and her work with FiredUp4.
Teresa Lobelia D’arienzo. Staging Clay: Ceramics as Scenography
Italian ceramic artist Teresa Lobelia D’Arienzo explores the dialogue between ceramics and cinema, where gesture, material, fragility and balance shape a distinctive sculptural language.
READ VISUAL NARRATIVES
British Art Fair 2026: A Visual Narrative from Saatchi Gallery
A visual journey through British Art Fair 2026, exploring material, gesture and process across modern and contemporary British art, including selected works from Spotlight: Contemporary.
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026: Contemporary Art, Craft and Collectible Design
A visual journey through the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2026, exploring contemporary art, craft, ceramics and collectible design through the theme of Interconnectedness.
Ceramic Art London 2026. New Perspectives on Contemporary Ceramic Practice
A reflection on Ceramic Art London 2026 and the evolving landscape of contemporary ceramic practice. Through a selection of international artists — from Toni Losey to Matthew Chambers — Avant Craft explores how today’s ceramic makers are redefining clay through sculpture, material research, texture, memory, and collectible design.
Collect Art Fair 2026 London. A Visual Narrative on Contemporary Craft
Collect Art Fair 2026 at Somerset House reaffirmed its position as a leading international platform for contemporary craft. This visual narrative reflects on selected works across ceramics, lacquer, wood and metal that formed part of our broader engagement with this year’s edition.
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Daniela Daz Moretti and the Language of Italian Handmade Ceramics
Italian handmade ceramics find new expression in the work of Daniela Moretti, an artist who transforms clay into vessels of memory and presence. Guided by the archetype of the Nest, her sculptural pieces explore fragility, strength, and transformation through techniques such as Kurinuki and Mishima. Each work, produced in small batches, is a silent companion in the home — timeless, collectible, and rooted in Italy’s enduring craft traditions.
Cecilia Rinaldi of Atelier Nuanda: An Emerging Italian Talent in Craft and Design
Italian designer Cecilia Rinaldi, founder of Atelier Nuanda, is redefining contemporary craft through her innovative woven leather technique. Recognized by AD Italia as one of 2025’s 13 emerging design talents, she bridges heritage and experimentation in works that are both poetic and sustainable. Discover her journey, philosophy, and award-winning creations in our exclusive interview.
Simone Falli: The Italian Artisan Textile Designer Championing Slow Design
Italian artisan and textile designer Simone Falli invites us into his Tuscan studio to explore a slower way of making. From hand-built looms to natural dyeing, his philosophy blends sustainability, tradition, and timeless design. Discover how his work embodies the values of slow design UK and why each fibre tells a story.
The Art of Handmade Italian Ceramics: Elisabetta D'Arienzo from Vietri sul Mare
In the coastal town of Vietri sul Mare, nestled along the dramatic cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, ceramics aren’t just craft—they’re heritage. Known as the historic heart of Southern Italy’s ceramic tradition, this town has produced generations of master artisans whose techniques date back to the 15th century. Vietri is a site where tiled facades, terracotta vessels, and vividly glazed forms speak the language of centuries-old artistry. Among this lineage stands Elisabetta D’Ari
Francesco Messina: Italian Collectible Design and Sculptural Craft
Discover Francesco Messina, an Italian independent designer blending Italian craftsmanship, lava stone, and alabaster in collectible furniture. Explore his story and sustainable design philosophy.
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Receive selected stories, artist interviews and visual narratives, together with occasional updates on Avant Craft exhibitions and events.
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