Carlè Carlos

Carlos Carlè was born in Oncativo, in the province of Cordoba, Argentina on the 28/7/1928.His first contact with ceramics happened when, as a young man, he worked at his father’s factory for refractories, where he had the possibility to experiment with high temperatures.In 1938 he moved with the family in Buenos Aires where he studied literature and drawing. In the 50’s he met Ana Burnichon “an extraordinary teacher” that invited him to in her studio where he had the possibility to develop his knowledge on a series of techniques. With her and her husband Alberto Burnichon they found the “Artesanos” group, an avant-garde movement for artistic ceramics in Argentina.In 1959 Carlos cooperated to the foundation of the “Centro d’Arte Ceramico Argentino” and started to show his work in European countries like Belgium and Prague. In October 1963 he arrived in Italy and started to work in Vietri sul Mare with Vincenzo Solimene.During this stay Carlos travelled to France, Germany, Denmark and Holland in order to broaden his knowledge of ceramics with a particular accent on stoneware.In the summer of 1966 he arrived in Albissola where he stayed for two years working with in close contact with most of the outstanding artists of the area and in particular with Wilfredo Lam with whom he established a long lasting friendship.Enriched by these intensive years in Europe he was finally back in Argentina again where, starting with the 70’s he had an intensive exposition phase. Amongst others he partecipated to the XII Salòn de Ceràmica di Buenos Aires where he received the Gran Premio Adquisicion and the XXX Concorso Internazionale della Ceramica d’Arte of Faenza, where he won the Golden Medal.In 1972 Carlos Carlè becamed a member of the International Ceramic Academy of Genève and moved definitely in Albissola the following year.After receiving the Regione Emilia Romagna Prix at the XXXII Concorso Internazionale della Ceramica d’Arte, a few years later he won the Gran Prix at the Biennale Internazionale de la Cèramique d’Art in Vallauris (France).In 1980 he travelled to Japan and gave a lecture at the International Conference Hall in Kyoto on the theme “Ceramics in Architecture”. In the following years his work is shown at the Hetjens Museum in Düsseldorf and at the Museo de Cèramica in Barcellona.From 1986 to 1989 Carlos shared the initiative “Encuentro de Ceramistas Contemporaneos de America Latina”, an itinerant collective that started at the Museo de Ponce in Puerto Rico and ended in Buenos Aires. In the meantime his work is shown at the Museo Sivori of Buenos Aires and at the Espace Latino-Americain of Paris. In 1989 Carlos is invited for a personal show by the town of Castellamonte within the XXIX Mostra di Ceramica and participated at the Con Fuoco. Kerakszene Italien in Zürich, Frankfürt and Düsselford.In the 90’s he won the Grand Prix at the XXXI edition of Premio Suzzara; participated to an itinerant collective by the Kyushu Museum in Japan; had a retrospective exhibition at the Fortezza del Priamàr in Savona; had work exposed at the Saga Prefectural Art Museum in Japan.In 1997 he received the Albissola Oscar, an official recognition for artists whose work has contributed to the city image in the world.The next year he is in Japan, invited by the Shigaraki Ceramic Cultural Park to make sculptures for the city museum. Back in Italy ha had a personal show at the Comune di Barge entitled “From Piemonte to Argentina and return” and invited to the Simposio di Ceramica, organised on his honour hi is at last beack on his native Argentina.On the year 2000 the city of Padua, in the context of the IV Edition of Open Air Sculpture, organised a personal show with works set up in various part of the city centre. In September of the same year, with Ansgar Elde he made two huge relieves for the walls of the town of Albissola .With the monument “Megalithics for Barge” for the city of Barge he receive the honorary citizenship.Participate to the show in Savona entitled Il porto degli artisti with two columns of painted wood seven meters high. Is then invited to be a jury member at the International Ceramic Festival in Mino 2002 in Japan. Personal show at the Comune di Badalucco (Imola)During these years, with the Accademia Internazionale de la Ceramica, he shows in Le Mostre 2002 Hellas in Athens and Icheon World Ceramic Center in Korea.