How can ceramics tell the story of war, destruction, and reconstruction?
At the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza (MIC), the “Ceramics of War and Peace” guided tour invites visitors to discover the Museum’s tragic history and the ceramic heritage that survived the destruction of World War II.
The tour begins in a specially curated section of the exhibition “1908–1952. In Memory of a Dream Enterprise,” which traces the museum’s founding and development, the dramatic consequences of the war, and the process of rebuilding the museum’s collection after the war.
Through archival and photographic documentation, films, and preserved ceramic objects, museum visitors will learn about items recovered from the ruins—including those bearing visible traces of the war. Over 300 crates of ceramic fragments were salvaged from the rubble, which were then sorted and restored.
This story also reflects the vision of the MIC’s founder, Gaetano Ballardini, whose perseverance and determination in securing significant donations made the reconstruction of the Museum and its collection possible. Among the postwar donations were works by internationally renowned artists, including Pablo Picasso.
Intensive conservation and restoration work carried out in the 1990s contributed to the recovery of a vast number of ceramic objects from the MIC collection. This story shows that damaged—and sometimes completely destroyed—heritage can become not only an object of conservation but also an important testament to the history and identity of an entire community.
The storytelling practice was developed by MIC Faenza in collaboration with Emergency Faenza and is aimed at all audiences—both local and international. Its goal is to raise awareness among visitors of the powerful impact that armed conflicts can have on cultural heritage.
Discover more about Ceramics of War and Peace:
“Joining the Shards – Upskilling of Museum Operators for the Valorization and Narration of EU Ceramic Heritage Impacted by War and Conflict” is co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ KA220 – Cooperation Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training
