Guido De Zan. An idea of lightness | Ceramics 1978-2018

“Only in the workshops of craftsmen and the studios of artists, inhabited by visionary creators and traders of beauty, does material seem to take on the true forms of its destiny”: with these words Francesco Cataluccio introduces the volume dedicated to the forty years of activity of the Milanese ceramist Guido De Zan. From the title – An idea of lightness – the peculiarity of De Zan's work on ceramics emerges, that is, his intention to “lighten” the material and to seek a balance, however unstable. The book, edited by Eugenio Alberti Schatz and Anty Pansera, guides the reader on a discovery of the evolution of De Zan’s work, through different subjects, techniques and materials. From the new opening texts – by Francesco Cataluccio, Anty Pansera, Eugenio Alberti Schatz and Guido De Zan – we move on to a rich catalogue of works, divided into categories. The book closes with a section that includes a critical anthology, some writings that emphasise the fundamental themes of De Zan’s research, from the relationship between art and manual labour to the relationship with the city of Milan, and a project note, with contributions from Paola Lenarduzzi (book design), Licia Cicala (documentation of the works) and Regina Recht (photo story).