People of Halaesa-Nebrodi: Filippo Fratantoni Sicily

Stepping across the threshold of the large building housing the Ceramiche Fratantoni showroom and factory means immediately immersing yourself in a world whose contours are clearly defined by the gray of the clay ('a rita in the local dialect) of countless vases, "Moro heads," and lamps, all crafted and left to rest, awaiting glazing and firing. This stark contrast is met by the explosion of vibrant colors used for decorating the finished artifacts that literally fill the exhibition spaces. At the center of the stage of a nearly century-long performance, a workbench stands out, surrounded by pieces already worked but awaiting decoration and firing. It's a magnificent scenographic and communicative choice that speaks volumes about this ancient expressive art, which only finds its final expression at the end of a long working cycle.

Within this complex and ancient world are the people, the artisans, and the skilled workers who have dedicated themselves to this magnificent art for centuries and who have made Santo Stefano di Camastra famous worldwide: the ceramists, or, to use a lesser-known term, the ceramicari.

Filippo Fratantoni is one of them, son of ceramists and a ceramist himself. He's a multifaceted individual, always involved in the social life of his Santo Stefano di Camastra, to which he also dedicated a long political period.

The Legacy of Ceramiche Fratantoni

Filippo, this chat is taking place within one of the historic businesses of Santo Stefano di Camastra: Ceramiche Fratantoni, a descendant of the Ditta Fratelli Fratantoni, founded way back in 1935. What has happened in these 89 years of activity?

"The business was born in the post-war period when my grandfather and his four sons set up an artisan workshop where they produced 'i marazzetri and 'i cusuzze, which were nothing more than toys inspired by everyday objects. Using four lathes for processing, they created small bummuli, quartare, lemmi, and rasticetri, reproducing in miniature what Stefanesi artisans had long been producing in their workshops. The small pieces made were bought by street vendors who, aboard their carts, would then sell them in local markets for a few pennies, allowing less affluent children to also have a modest toy to play with.

Subsequently, at the end of the Second World War, a qualitative leap occurred, and the Fratantoni family, thanks to the purchase of larger warehouses and premises, dedicated itself to the production of terracotta for daily and building use, still remaining outside of ceramic products as we see them today.

In reality, at that time, furnaces and workshops were still located outside the town, along the national road (SS.113) that led towards Messina, which carried all the modest vehicle traffic of the era. These were the hard 1950s after the war, but subsequently, thanks to the economic recovery, we began to see Fiat 1100s, then Fiat 600s, some regular buses, and even tourists who, attracted by the goods left to dry by the numerous roadside artisans, began to be interested in purchasing the displayed products. From this moment on, interest also grew in producing and selling decorated ceramics, which led to the birth of 'a scola ceramica, now the Art School, which began to train the first decorators to support the master potters—a crucial moment given that the workers of the time did not have the skills to color their artifacts.

Our interest has always been directed towards reproducing 19th-century Stefanesi traditional tiles and bricks, and in the 1970s, we patented the glazing of lava stone slabs, with which we began to build tables of various shapes and sizes that would otherwise be impossible to create with clay, a material severely penalized in terms of resistance and contraction during firing.

Today, our company has reached the fourth generation. My brothers and I dedicate ourselves to the production of the classical line, particularly the production of tiles, while we give the younger generation the freedom to experiment with the new worlds and creative spaces offered by modern ceramics."

Responding to Market Challenges and Innovation

Some years ago, we witnessed an invasion of foreign-made products, especially from China, which had nothing to do with artisanal ones, distracting consumers and creating great confusion. How did the community of Stefanesi ceramists respond to this intrusive presence, what countermeasures were taken, and what has changed in the relationship with the end-user?

"We simply continued to do our job and to do it well. The real invasion happened, but it has also passed. Today, mainly reproductions of pinecones and 'Moro heads' arrive from China, which have little impact on our work. My father always told us: 'Don't get discouraged, ceramics always have their ups and downs,' and I must say that's how it has been. Today we are in a period of great recovery. People's taste is becoming more refined and they can recognize an object by the quality it expresses. The new generations are increasingly attracted to our world, thanks also to the presence of media and social media, which have given new impetus to our sector. Just think of the international projection that designers Dolce and Gabbana gave to the 'Moro head' by featuring it in some of their advertisements. This highlighted an object that has always existed but, undoubtedly, thanks to their intervention, has become highly sought after."

The MUDIS: A Diffused Museum

Filippo Fratantoni's name is closely linked to MUDIS, an acronym for "Museo Diffuso Stefanese" (Stefanesi Diffused Museum), of which you are the Artistic Director. I'm curious about the use of the term "diffused" and, at the same time, I'd like to delve into its history, which begins with Giuseppe Lanza Barresi, Duke of Camastra.

"We have always believed that Santo Stefano di Camastra is an open-air museum. The MUDIS was born from a vision that originated in the 1980s, thanks to the late mayor Gigi Famularo, who worked to find the necessary funds for the restoration of the palace that belonged to the Duke of Camastra. That's where the Museum of Ceramics was born, with ample exhibition spaces dedicated to the history of Stefanesi and Sicilian ceramics, coexisting with a very important collection of modern artistic ceramics. Alongside this, as part of the diffused museum project, there are installations scattered throughout the city, and our artisans' workshops themselves are an integral part, through their shops and colorful exhibition spaces that overlook the main streets of Santo Stefano in a very scenic way."

The "Passport of the Ceramic Route"

Artistic ceramics are a very important tourism driver, especially if the right synergies are created with other regional and national realities. I find the "Passport of the Ceramic Route" initiative very interesting. It aims to unite six Sicilian communities in a stimulating journey to discover the world of ceramics, and Santo Stefano is an integral part of it. The Passport was presented on March 24th of this year—I was there—but I didn't see many ceramists present. How many businesses have joined the project, and what developments do you foresee from this initiative?

"It's true. Although we ceramists have cordial and collaborative relationships with each other, we are quite reluctant to leave our workshops and engage in collective, broad-ranging projects. Sometimes in the past, the expected results were not seen, and this has led us to increasingly retreat into our individual activities, avoiding professional confrontation with other colleagues, and thus we have gradually given up on creating the right synergies. I think instead we should change our attitude.

Regarding the Passport of the Ceramic Route, I believe it was and remains a valid initiative that the current administration believes in and has put a lot of energy into. It probably needs to be revised in some aspects, but the initiative is truly interesting."

Ceramics in the Age of Robotics

The challenges of the third millennium bring us closer and closer to a robotic and computerized world. Do you think the world of ceramics and craftsmanship in general, sooner or later, will have to adapt to this non-gentle revolution? Will a robot ever use a stick to shape a "Moro head" or a brush to glaze a "Matrangela"?

"In reality, 3D printers have already entered the world of industrial ceramics. With them, and thanks to them, it's now possible to create decorated laminate slabs of 3 square meters with thicknesses of just a few millimeters, which would be impossible to achieve with traditional machinery. But we're talking about industrial and large-scale productions.

Craftsmanship is another thing: it's a place where 'a rita (clay), creativity, heart, and manual skill intersect. I don't believe a robot could ever intervene and replace the artisan-artist, at least in this aspect."

A Dream for the Future

Finally, Filippo, your story tells of a person who has dedicated himself to his company, his family, and his community. Do you have a dream tucked away that you would like to entrust to future generations?

"The dream exists, and I've kept it tucked away for several years: I would like to see a great museum of contemporary ceramics realized, with young artists from all over the world gathering in Santo Stefano to dream, experiment, and create contemporary works of art. It would be a valuable tool for cultural and tourist attraction to accompany the artworks contained in the Diffused Museum of Fiumara d'Arte, which would further strengthen the tourist and artistic vocation of our territory.

You can learn more about the Operators and the Project of GMT™ Halaesa-Nebrodi.