Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ity - from 'dancing' cans with top hats to 'amorous'
caffettiere
(percolators). Indeed, the Neapolitan
caffettiera
- an elongated version of the standard Italian model - is one of Dalisi's trademark motifs,
an obsession that began after Italian design company Alessi commissioned him to design one for its
1979 catalogue.
Despite a string of other famous commissions for the likes of Zanotta, Fiat and Bisazza, Dalisi has
always eschewed diva demands, preferring humility, humanity and a social conscience. Graduating as
an architect in 1957, he first achieved fame as a pioneer of Italy's anti-design movement in the 1960s,
which decried consumerist thinking in design in favour of individuality, spontaneity and an acknow-
ledgement of every person's creative potential. By the 1970s, the artist was running
design povero
(poor design) workshops for underprivileged Neapolitan youth, teaching them how to turn scrap metal
into works of art. His more recent collaboration with locals from the rough-and-ready Sanità district
reached fruition with the birth of the
Iron Angels
( 331 8860287;
www.ironangels.it
)
, an artisan
co-op based inside a deconsecrated neighbourhood church. Offering work and hope to youth otherwise
vulnerable to criminal careers, the group's recycled creations adorn a number of locations, including
the ancient Catacomba di San Gennaro (
Click here
)
.
As you'd expect, a visit to Dalisi's own
studio
( 081 68 14 05; studiodalisi@libero.it; Calata
San Francesco 59; admission free; 9am-2pm Mon-Fri, call ahead; C28 to Via Aniello Fal-
cone)
is a wonderful experience, its collection of rooms packed to the rafters with charismatic proto-
types, works-in-progress and roll upon roll of Dalisi's own paintings and illustrations (the recycling
theme continues here, with Dalisi only using pre-used paper, much of which comes from schools). The
gentle
maestro
also offers free three-, four- or five-day workshops (book a week ahead), though it's
worth considering that Dalisi does not speak English. And while all visitors are welcome at the studio,
don't forget to call ahead and book a time with Dalisi's assistant, Carla Rabuffetti, first.
Museo Nazionale della
Ceramica Duca di Martina
(National Museum of Ceramics; 081 578 84 18;
ht-
tp://floridiana.spmn.campaniabeniculturali.it
;
Via Domenico Cimarosa 77; museum
8.30am-2pm, last entry 1.15pm, gardens 8.30am-1hr before sunset; Vanvitelli)
The
National Museum of Cermaics houses a beautiful, 6000-piece collection, with priceless
Chinese Ming (1368-1644) ceramics and Japanese Edo (1615-1867) vases on the lower
floor, lively Renaissance majolica on the midde floor, and more European ceramics (in-
cluding some sumptuous Meissen pieces) on the top floor. You'll also find a smattering of
paintings from greats such as Francesco Solimena, Francesco De Mura and Vincenzo
Camuccini.
MUSEUM, GARDENS
