Ceramic art from all over the world is in Italy. Interview with Claudia Casali from the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza

What is your museum about and what is your work there?

I am the director of the MIC – International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza, the largest collection in the world dedicated to ceramic art, with about 60,000 pieces ranging from 4000 b.C. to date of each geographical area.

I am in charge of the collections, of the book heritage (we have an international library with almost 80,000 books), of the journal of ceramic studies “Faenza” (founded in 1913 and still published every six months), curator of the contemporary collections, of the didactic activities and of restoration and conservation heritage, coordinator of Casa Muky Matteucci. It is a complex work with many facets, dynamic and engaging.

What inspired you to pursue a career in the museum field and how did you get started in the industry?

After starting work in the private sector, I was hired as a project collaborator in the exhibition sector at Palazzo Forti in Verona, the then Gallery of Modern Art which had an extraordinary temporary exhibition activity, thanks to the director Giorgio Cortenova, to whom I very grateful.

He trusted me a lot and entrusted me with important tasks for setting up and organizing international events. I was working and completing my Ph.D. at the same time (a big disappointment for me).

Then I moved temporarily to the Gallery of Modern Art in Bologna to land at the MAR in Ravenna where, thanks to the willingness of Claudio Spadoni, I managed to make a dream come true: to found a museum, an exhibition space for major events and an exhibition for young talents.

I consider myself a lucky person because unthinkable doors have always opened in my career, I have met special people who have given me great responsibilities. Now I am at the MIC in Faenza, a unique collection in the world, with great potential, one of the few international Italian museum institutions.

Can you share an experience or project that you are particularly proud of from your time at the museum?

Our Museum has always been attentive to the involvement of the fragile areas of our society. After the pandemic, we felt a need to use our spaces and the beauty we represent in support of more social projects. With the help of our Munari educational laboratory, we have launched “MIC per tutti” (MIC for everyone) a project that embraces different realities, from the young to the elderly, trying to involve them in playful activities with ceramics.

“The child learns by playing”: this Bruno Munari said in his lessons. The fun and engaging game becomes an opportunity for growth, for the creation of positive group dynamics, for both children and adults.

“MIC per tutti” was also a project to create reading aids of our heritage for people with visual and hearing impairments: subtitled videos and audio explanations for the sections and rooms, on-site Braille support, insights with special QR-Codes. Bringing the beauties of the Museum to everyone and finding a moment of inner growth and tranquility in clay, is a noble purpose that we carry forward every day.

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