Change can be one of the most difficult words for traditional craftsmen to hear.
For hundreds of years the city of Faenza has been Italy's most famous ceramic center — so much so that "faience" earthenware is synonymous with ceramics around the world. From the time of the Renaissance to the mid-20th century, maiolica (majolica in English), the fine low-fire ceramic ware of Faenza, was the sole medium of expression for local artisans.
That is until Carlo Zauli came along, turning tradition on its head through a lifetime of experimentation and international exchange that transformed Faenza's ceramics scene forever. "Carlos Zauli: A Retrospective," showing till Aug. 3 at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, traces the Italian ceramicist's explosive influence.