produttori — Grottaglie · Puglia
In the Quartiere delle Ceramiche (Ceramics Quarter) of Grottaglie, where the lanes of the historic centre preserve a pottery-making vocation centuries old, the Arces workshop carries forward an art handed down from father to son for five generations, with the same care as always.
At the workbench, everything begins with the choice of clay: earth, glazes and cristallina finishes are combined according to the piece being made. The Arces family has been documented in Grottaglie since the first half of the nineteenth century, and has refined over time a process that allows no shortcuts — every piece follows distinct stages, each governed by knowledge accumulated over roughly two centuries of craft.
At the wheel, Maestro Ciro Arces takes up forms that belong to Grottaglie's memory: the vummile, an ancient terracotta vessel that farmers once carried into the fields, is still made today with the same gesture as always. The work is entirely done by hand, from shaping to decoration, following techniques passed down without interruption from father to son across five generations.
On the shelf stands a wide and recognisable range: ceramic pendant lamps, decorative objects, wedding favours made to measure according to each client's wishes. Every piece carries not only technical mastery, but also the stylistic renewal that Maestro Ciro has brought to the ongoing dialogue between Grottaglie's tradition and contemporary taste.
From the workshop on Via Crispi, every creation is a fragment of Grottaglie's history to take home: the page tells the whole story.
