It all started in Piacenza, a small town 50km south of Milan. There in 1990, Michela, a graduate from the Academia di Brera, and Marcello, interestingly a political science graduate, established a small farmhouse studio where they created sculptures as well as unique and limited edition pieces.
With Michela’s background in sculpture and Marcello’s passion for ceramic, a passion in which he had previously indulged in by studying at various academy like the “ceramic school of Albissola” and the international ceramic academy “La meridiana” in Tuscany, the recognition and demand grew and a few years later a good friend of theirs, Georgia Oronte, joined them to further the expansion.
They presented their first ceramic collection in 1999, at international exhibitions like Maison et objet in Paris and the Salone del Mobile in Milan. There they met Stefano Grandi, an entrepreneur from Reggio Emila, owner of a company producing high technology and electric motors and great supporter of the arts. Stefano invited them to join a project started a few years ago in Bali, Gaya fusion, the first private contemporary art space in Bali, to which is attached a restaurant and few villas.
With his Balinese partner, Nyoman Birit, they enthusiatiscly funded and supported the addition of a ceramic factory to their initial project, giving the chance to the three friends to achieve a dream: the ability to be creative without limits as well as competitive and productive in an amazing environment.
They decided to move to Bali in 2003 and the Gaya Ceramic and Design began its activity in 2004.
Nowadays, with an approximate half million dollars income and some 50 employees, Gaya Ceramic and Design exports 90% of its productions all over the world and keeps on expanding its capacity every year.
Though they still make sculptures and unique pieces, they have reached a production capacity of four to five thousand medium ceramic pieces a month, all collections combined.
In 2006 Marcello and Michela’s first baby, Martino, was born and a few months ago came Metello, both little ones born in Bali.
Far and grown from little Piacenza, Bali has become their ground, providing as they say:
“a daily fusion of sure and unsure circumstances, an infinite world of technical precision and mistakes, hard work and delusions, simplicity and happiness... For us, nothing is more lovely.”
- Posted by Stephanie Robert |
