In Santo Stefano di Camastra, the future of ceramics begins: “Design and unique pieces to face market challenges”

Santo Stefano di Camastra, July 1, 2024 – There is one certainty that emerges in Santo Stefano during the first weekend of “Ceramics Under the Stars“: this sector, with the right measures, has a future. But there are also issues that need to be addressed: such as the lack of young people willing to dedicate themselves body and soul to this art that is lost in the mists of time.

In Santo Stefano di Camastra, in the province of Messina, the first two days of the event strongly supported by the municipal councilor for crafts Fausto Pellegrino. With “en plein air” events, a conference with experts, the presentation of the ceramics passport and music, with the concert of two-time world accordion champion Pietro Adragna on stage together with flute maestro Chiara Sernesi. Great curiosity among the numerous visitors who crowded the Messina municipality this past weekend, especially for the opportunity to try forming ceramic objects using the pottery wheel, or decorating ceramics before firing. A real “boom” of curious visitors who wanted to “get their hands dirty” to understand the difficulties of working at the wheel and how much precision decorators must have, skilled masters in color selection with very steady hands to paint plates, vases and dozens of other objects. Then at Palazzo Trabia, the future of ceramics was discussed with some great experts and ceramists. And everyone agrees: “The sector has a future if it connects with modern design.”

“Times have changed and ceramics must abandon certain legacies it may have had 20 years ago – says municipal councilor Fausto Pellegrino – Today ceramics must go hand in hand with design. It must become a luxury object, unique. But the first steps must come from the master craftsmen themselves. They must fully understand that the world has changed. There is a segment of buyers willing to spend a lot of money to have unique objects. But they must be modern and, precisely, design-oriented. Much research is needed, but above all artists capable of creating unique pieces.”

Times have changed and ceramics must abandon certain legacies it may have had 20 years ago.

But yesterday, after the great success at the BIT in Milan, the ceramics passport was also presented, the tool that unites the six Sicilian towns famous throughout the world for ceramic production: in addition to Santo Stefano di Camastra, Collesano, Monreale, Sciacca, Burgio and Caltagirone are part of it: “An art, if it does not want to be iconoclastic and narcissistic – says the mayor of Santo Stefano di Camastra Francesco Re – must certainly tell of its past, but give a perspective for the future. And the two-day event that the administration wanted to organize goes precisely in this direction. Among the initiatives, I believe the most important is the presentation of the passport, which is not something folkloristic, but is the trait d’union of the six ceramic towns, bringing together over 300 master craftsmen, creating a shared route that offers Italian and foreign visitors the opportunity not only to visit these six cities, but also to learn their history, admire their artistic and architectural beauties and be able to see, in person, these great artists and masters of ceramics.”

Tourism and ceramics can truly become a winning combination according to councilor Alessandro Amoroso: “In Santo Stefano we have realized that tourism is no longer the hit-and-run type of the past – he says – There is increasingly more residential tourism. And this is demonstrated by the fact that accommodation facilities, in 12 years, have gone from 7 to about sixty. The ceramics passport can give a further boost, because its “experiences” and therefore the possibility of participating in various activities, will allow tourists to stay in the city. This is the signal that our administration has been waiting for years.”

Young people are somewhat reproached by Pippo Giordano, well-known ceramist from Santo Stefano: “There has been a revolution in ceramics especially in the last 20 years – he says – Today it seems to me that everything is easier, given that presses and various molds are used that facilitate the work. Until a few years ago, everything was done strictly by hand. Today, and I say this as a craftsman, we continue to move forward, but not at the speed at which we grew before. What worries me is that there are very few young people willing to learn the art of the pottery wheel. And so there really is no happy prospect.”

The ceramics passport will be given to tourists in one of the six affiliated cities. With this tool, tourists can benefit from some discounts in affiliated shops, as well as experience unique experiences in the artists’ workshops. A stamp will be placed on the passport for each town visited. Upon completing it, tourists can receive a prize, obviously in ceramics, directly at home. A unique way to promote the territory.

“I believe we must have the intelligence to set aside parochialism and come together, because alone we go nowhere – says Mayor Re – We six municipalities have decided to work as a team to have the strength to tell of this art which in many cases is millennial. And together we have united about 300 artisan workshops with over 2,000 workers, various museums, unique beauties, food and good wine. A route that enhances everything 360 degrees. But which allows visitors to approach the world of ceramics in a different way, experiential tourism which is the new frontier of travel.”

In Santo Stefano di Camastra, the two-day event dedicated to ceramics will be repeated next weekend as well, on July 6 and 7. There will again be the “Let’s Get Our Hands Dirty” workshop, on Via Umberto, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM with the opportunity to model clay, but also to decorate ready-to-fire pieces together with the artists. Then, at 6:30 PM, at Palazzo Trabia, the opening of the exhibition “Draw a Nursery Rhyme,” curated by the children of the Santo Stefano di Camastra comprehensive school. And at 9:00 PM, in Piazza Duca di Camastra, the comedy “The Return of Diabolik,” presented by the Nisseno permanent theater. All events are free. The event was organized with the contribution of the Sicilian regional tourism department.