Domenico Principato launches his Le CerAmiche: the Italian word ceramiche ceramic collection

Dear Shaded Viewers,

“You will become way less concerned with what other people think of you when you realise how seldom they do.”

David Foster Wallace

“My mother and her mother before her owned one fine ceramic dinnerware set. It included plates, cups, bowls that where not to be used. They would spend their time inside cabinets watching life go by through the door, held captive in a world of people concerned with what other people think of them.

What would have happened if people laid their precious lips on a cup edge? If they noticed the linear glaze on a serving dish?

Nothing.

Perhaps just a brief remark in the car, on the way back. And yet years of that unchanging perfection have sentenced many innocent ceramics to a life in prison. It’s time to turn their somber tears into emotional joy.

Le CerAmiche haven’t been around for a century, they don’t want your friends to be jea- lous of you. Ceramics are that one fine China set, they want to be moved back where they belong: on the table among people’s hands. Surrounded by chatter and laughter but also debating and yelling. Everyday they will look at us and be grateful. Happy to get dirty, mo- ved, cleared away. Put in the dishwasher or laying in the sink for a whole day after they’ve been used. Or perhaps they can accommodate whatever it is in our pockets or watch the TV with us from the living room’s wall. But if you were to grow fond of them, they will love you from the start.

They were all born in the same place: Ortigia, an island connected to another island, a place where time goes by more slowly. They’re born from craftsman, skillful hands surrounded by the sound of the sea and the fragrance of Zagara flowers.

All ceramics are unique and hand-painted. No two are the same, all of them are special and with their own traits. All of them itching to meet you and spend time with you.

And if one day one will be thrown against a wall or fall from the table then there will be scat- tered pieces with no regrets.

The name Le CerAmiche: the Italian word ceramiche (eng. ceramics), broken down into Cer-Amiche because the final sentence means (female) friends… thus creating a play on words (in Italian), the friendly ceramics or ceramic friends.

Special guest: U Bummolo

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

Perhaps you could learn about bummolo. Ready? Here we go:

Bummolo or bummulu in Sicilian dialect is a terracotta container used in Sicily to keep water cool even during the summer. It has very ancient origins and it’s based on the well-known re- action of liquids that turn into gas by absobring heat. It’s made of a porous material that keeps water cool, even when exposed to the sun.

Now that you know what it’s about you can choose to get to know her or not. She, too, is part of the Ceramics. She, too, is handpainted and with a strong personality (better yet, she’s more on the grumpy side but don’t tell her I told you).

Every tear is a choice.

There is a moment in the neat queue of tears behind people’s eyes when the queue splits. Each tear has to choose whether they’re joyful or in pain.

It’s easier for some, they give in to their nature and make faster decisions, others struggle a little more and stay on the fence until the very last moment. But in the end, they all make their choice. Every tear is a choice, every day is a tear.

First Drop: April 1st

Domenico Principato is a freelance illustrator, Graphic Designer and Creative Consul- tant. He was born in Sicily but now he lives and works in Milan, teacher of Computer Graphics at the master in Fashion and Textile Design at NABA. With my drawings I want to represent aspects of our society through the use of communicative and conceptual ima- ges. I was defined by Spanish art magazine “Paredro” as one of the 10 best illustrators in the world and included by Taschen among the 150 artists in the world that are part of the volume 4 of “Illustration Now”. I work with communication agency, style and trend offices offering creative solutions in the digital environment.

Years ago Domenico made this illustration of me.