Jenna Basso Pietrobon

Renowned for her inventive ceramic work, Jenna emphasizes the artistry of handcrafting, celebrating the organic beauty within clay’s natural imperfections. Her ceramics transcend functionality and embodies a philosophy of light and transformation, values she considers crucial for navigating today’s world.

Jenna Basso Pietrobon’s ‘Break the Mold’ project reflects her commitment to redefining traditional craft by transforming molds—typically used for mass production—into tools for creating unique, expressive pieces. Inspired by her grandfather’s legacy as a ceramic lamp-maker in Nove, Italy, Jenna returned to her ancestral town to craft these lamps and vases that celebrate beauty in imperfection and individuality. Each lamp form is pieced together from various molds, creating distinct, dynamic shapes that appear to resist conventional stability. The vases, echoing the empty factories in Nove, are designed to be "activated" when filled with flowers, symbolizing the revitalization Jenna envisions for the town.

Jenna’s dedication to her heritage extends through her mission called ‘The Fondamenta’, an initiative she founded to foster employment and training opportunities for local artisans and youth. Named after the Venetian word for "foundation," ‘The Fondamenta’ aims to sustain the cultural legacy of ceramics in Nove by empowering a new generation to view it as a dynamic, thriving craft.