SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2027 "Figure Out", Fuller Craft Museum, Brockton, MA, USA

2026 "A Party for Betty”, Museo Carlo Zauli, Faenza, Italy     

         "Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration", Alfred Ceramic Art Museum, Alfred, NY, USA   

         "Divenire: tra materia, storia e natura. Zeitgenössische Keramik aus Italien" with Mattia 

         Vernocchi, Stadtmuseum Siegburg, Siegburg, Germany

         "Past and Future Icons", Thorne-Sagendorph Art Gallery, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA

         "Humanphoria”, Worlds Fair Gallery, Providence, RI

2023 "Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration", Holter Museum of Art, Helena, MT, USA

2022 "Madonne Protestanti: terzo atto", Ridotto del Teatro Masini, Argillà Italia 2022, Faenza, Italy

2021 "From Stereotype to archetype", Arch Contemporary, Tiverton, RI, USA 

2021 "RefleX: figure per riflettere", with Maurizio Tittarelli Rubboli, Palazzo Ducale, Gubbio, Italy

2019 "Protestant Madonnas", curated by André Groeneveld, Firma Van Drie, Gouda, The Netherlands

2018 "Divinities + Idols", Heidmann Art Salon at Haw Contemporary, Kansas City, MO, USA

2017 "Humanae Terrae", curated by Claudia Casali, Honos Art, Rome, Italy

2017 "viewing", Jingdezhen International Studio, Jingdezhen, China

2016 "Humankind: the Sublime & the Ridiculous", Belger Arts Center, Kansas City, MO 

2015 "Profili del tempo", curated by Rolando Giovannini, "Rocca Flea" Museo Civico, Gualdo Tadino 
2012 "Creative Trilogy: Sculpture, Painting & Ceramics", c.r.e.t.a. rome, Rome, Italy
2011 "Controfigure", presented by Arte Comune, Palazzo Delfini, Rome, Italy
2008 "Eidolon", curated by Gabriele Simongini, Internoventidue Arte Contemporanea, Rome, Italy
2006 "Idoli Occidente", Galleria Lombardi, La Notte Bianca, Rome, Italy
2004 “Dipinti e Sculture”, curated by Carlo Fabrizio Carli, Galleria Faleria, Rome, Italy
2002 "Paolo Porelli: pitture e sculture", curated by Barbara Mancini, Galleria Mancini, Monte Granaro 

​​

RESIDENCIES/VISITING ARTIST/DEMONSTRATING ARTIST

2026

Visting Artist, Keene State College, Keene, NH, USA

2025/26

Artist in residence, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI, USA

2024

International Ceramics Symposium on Figurative Ceramics, International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary 

University of Iowa Talavera Symposium, Iowa City, Iowa, USA

2023

Visiting Artist, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT, USA 

2022

Guest Artist in Residence, The Clay Studio of Philadelphia, PA, USA 

2021

Woodman Artist Resident, Antella, Italy 

2020

Invited guest artist (virtual lecture/demonstration), California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts, Davis, CA, USA 

2019/20

Winter Installation Artist in Residence, Arch Contemporary, Tiverton, RI, USA 

2018/2019

Sunday Morning Grant @ekwc, European Ceramic Work Centre 

2017

Artist in Residence, Blanc de Chine International Ceramic Art Award Residency, Dehua, China 

Guest Artist in Residence, International Studio Jingdezhen, China 

2016 

Visiting Artist, University of South Carolina, ‘In-glaze luster workshop 

2015/16

Fellowship Artist-in-Residence, Red Star Studios, Belger Crane Yard, Kansas City, MO 

2014

Invited guest artist (lecture/demonstration), California Conference for the Advancement of Ceramic Arts, Davis, CA, USA 

Visiting Artist, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA 
2012
Eric Myhre Scholar, Artist in Residence, Archie Bray Foundation, Helena, MT, USA 
2011
Guest Artist in Residence, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA 

Artist in Residence, Woodstock Byrdcliffe Guild, Woodstock, NY, USA

 

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS, BIENNIALS, EVENTS & PRIZES

2026

"In the Name of Clay: 50 Years of Italian Ceramic Art", curated by Claudi Casali, Valentins Petjko and Aivars Baranovski, Museum of Arts and Design, Riga, Latvia 

2025

"TRUE AND REAL", 2025 NCECA Annual, curated by Judith Schwartz, Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA

"Alive and Unfolding", curated by Vasi Hirdo, Ceramic Art Andenne, La Delta Centre, Namur, Belgium

"63° Premio Faenza, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy

2024

“FIGURES: 2024 International Ceramics Symposium", International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary

"50 Years in the Making", The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA

"Dis/comfort", curated by Alessandro Cristofari, Palazzo Rospigliosi, Zagarolo, Italy

2023

Lighton International Artist Exchange Program Award

"Ho visto la Madonna!", curated by Donatella Ventura e Daniele Panucci, Museo della Ceramica di Savona, Savona, Italy

3rd Blanc de Chine International Ceramic Art Award, Hangzhou, China 

"In bianco. La porcellana nella ceramica d’arte italiana contemporanea", curated by Matteo Zauli and Xiuzhong Zhang, Palazzo del Podestà, Faenza, Italy

2022

"40° Mostra Internazionale della Ceramica", Gualdo Tadino, Italy

"Ethos: Keramikos 2022", curated by Vittorio Sgarbi, Museo di Palazzo Doebbing, Sutri, Italy 

"Artists for Amnesty", John Natsoulas Gallery, Davis, CA, USA

2021

Elected member of the International Academy of Ceramics

"KICB (Korean International Ceramic Biennale) 2021", Honorable Mention, Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Ceramic Art, Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do,South Korea

"Visioni contemporanee. Venti artisti a Castel Sant'Angelo", curated by Mariastella Margozzi, Museo nazionale di Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy 

"Tradizione Contemporanea", curated by N. Teodori, Museo Opificio Rubboli, Gualdo Tadino, Italy

2020/21

"61° Premio Faenza (with Maurizio Tittarelli Rubboli), Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy

2020

"2020 Taiwan Ceramics Biennial", New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum: shortlisted

"BACC 2020: Biennale Arte Ceramica Contemporanea", Scuderie Aldobrandini per l'Arte, Frascati, Italy

"Distant Ceramics, 2nd ed.", juror Shoji Satake, on-line 

2019/20

"Cheongju International Craft Competition 2019", Cheongju, Korea: shortlisted

"Ceramics of Europe Westerwaldprize 2019", Keramikmuseum Westerwald, Westerwald, Germany

"XIV Bienal Internacional de Ceràmica de Manises", Museu Ceràmica Manises, Manises, Spain

2019

"Point in Time II Jubilee Reunion Manifestation EKWC", Heusden, The Netherlands

"Flesh for Fantasy", Concurrent Exhibition NCECA 2019, The Workshop Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN, USA

2018/19

"Inquietant/e figura humana (Disturbing human figure)", Sala 30, curated by MACVAC (Museu d'Art Contemporani Vicent Aguilera Cerní de Vilafamés), Aéroport Castellòn, Spain

2018

"38 Concurso Internacional de Ceràmica-CICA 2018", 2nd prize, L’Alcora, Spain

"Ceramic Art Andenne 2018", "Contemporary expressions of Italy", curated by Martha Pachon Rodriguez, (Italy, invited country), Andenne, Belgium

"European Ceramic Context 2018, Open Call exhibition", 1 of 2 artists chosen to represent Italy, Grønbechs Gaard, Bornholm, Denmark

"2nd Porzellanbiennial Meissen", Albrechtsburg, Meissen, Germany

"Abscondita Veritas" presented by Honos Art Contemporary, in conjunction with Argillà, Faenza, Italy

"CeramicAppignano" Convivium, in collaboration with Jeff Schmuki, IV Edizione Concorso Nazionale, Appignagno, Italy

"Ceramics in Love", 58 Mostra della Ceramica, Castellamonte, Italy

"Deconstructing the Conversation", Morgan Glass Gallery in conjunction with NCECA, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

2017 

"L’acqua meraviglia della terra", Silver Award, XXXIX Concorso Internazionale della Ceramica d’Arte, Gualdo Tadino, Italy

2016

"1st Porzellanbiennial", Albrechtsburg, Meissen, Germany

2015

"Convivium", Honorable Mention, Primo concorso nazionale CeramicAppignano, Appignano, Italy

"Scultura ceramica contemporanea in Italia", curated by Nino Caruso and Mariastella Margozzi, Galleria nazionale d’arte moderna, Rome, Italy

"2015 NCECA Biennial", David Winton Bell Gallery, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA

2014

"Made at The Clay Studio: Guest Artists in Residence 2010-14", curated by Garth Johnson, The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA

2013

"New Directions", Lacoste Gallery, Concord, MA, USA

"S.O.F.A. Chicago", presented by Lacoste Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA

"2013 NCECA Biennial", Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston. TX, USA
2012
"Recent Acquisitions to the Permanent Collection 2012", Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, MT, USA
2011
"Figuration", The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA, USA
 

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy
International Ceramics Studio, Kecskemét, Hungary

Museu de Ceràmica de L’Alcora, Spain

Blanc de Chine ICAA, Yishu-8 Gallery, Beijing, China

Taoxichuan Art Gallery, Jingdezhen, China

ASU Art Museum Ceramics Research Center, Tempe, AZ

Galleria Civica d’Arte Contemporanea, Termoli, Italy

Musei Capitolini, Rome, Italy

Museo di Gala di Barcellona, Italy

Museo Civico di Rocca Flea, Gualdo Tadino, Italy

Museo della Transtoria, Palazzo Orsini, Bomarzo, Italy

The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, PA

The Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts, Helena, MT

CeramicAppignano, Appignano, Italy

Nobile Contrada del Nicchio, Arte dei Vasai, Siena, Italy

​World Museum, Palazzo Arese Jacini, Cesano Maderno, Italy

​

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 

3D Black Iconology. Paolo Porelli, exhibition catalogue, Alfred Ceramic Art Museum (Alfred, NY 2026)

A Party for Betty. Paolo Porelli, exhibition catalogue, Museo Carlo Zauli (Faenza, Italy 2026) 

Divenire: tra materia storia e natura. Paolo Porelli, exhibition catalogue, Stadtmuseum Siegburg (Siegburg, Germany 2026)

“Paolo Porelli”, featured artist, Ceramics Now 17 (February 2026) 18-33.

Evelyne Schoenmann, "In Studio with Paolo Porelli, New Ceramics Issue 1 (January 2026) 10-14.

Evelyne Schoenmann, "Werkstattgespräch mit Paolo Porelli, Neue Keramik Issue 1 (January 2026) 10-14.

Shao Ting-Ju, "Paolo Porelli", Taiwan Fine Arts Magazine (December 2025)

Claudia Casali, ed., 63° Premio Faenza: Biennale internazionale della ceramica d’arte contemporanea (exhibition catalogue, Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche, Faenza, Italy 2025)

"Perspectives Festival 2025: A new vision for Ceramic Art Andenne" in Ceramics Now Magazine Issue 11 (June 2025)

Vasi Hirdo, "Alive & Unfolding contemporary ceramics exhibition at le Delta, Namur" in Ceramics Now Magazine Issue 11 (June 2025) 68-77

"2025 NCECA Exhibitions at the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art, Salt Lake City" in Ceramics Now 2025 (2025) 26-33

2024. ÉVI NEMZETKÖZI KERÁMIA SZIMPÓZIUM / INTERNATIONAL CERAMICS SYMPOSIUM, 2024, International Ceramics Studio (Kecskemét, Hungary)

"Figure Out: Catastrophe or Regeneration by Paolo Porelli at Holter Museum of Art, Helena" in Ceramics Now 2023 (2023)

Paolo Porelli. Figure Out. Catastrophe or Regeneration (exhibition catalogue, Holter Museum of Art) (Helena, MT, USA 2023)

Garth Johnson, “Porelli’s Proscenium”, in Paolo Porelli. Figure Out. Catastrophe or Regeneration (exhibition catalogue, Holter Museum of Art) (Helena, MT, USA 2023) 16-26

Francesco Paolo del Re, “Paolo Porelli: an anthropography of the end of the world and its opposite” in Paolo Porelli. Figure Out. Catastrophe or Regeneration (exhibition catalogue, Holter Museum of Art) (Helena, MT, USA 2023) 31-36

Blanc de Chine International Ceramic Art Award 2023 (exhibition catalogue, Beijing, China 2023)​​
Donatella Ventura, Daniele Panucci, eds., Ho visto la Madonna!, Museo della Ceramica di Savona (exhibition catalogue, 2023) 80-85

Francesco Paolo del Re, “Paolo Porelli: una antropografía del fin del mundo y su opuesto”, Terrart: Revista de ceràmica contemporània 62 (May 2023)

Daniela Lotta, "Madonne Protestanti, Terzo Atto (Protestant Madonnas. Third Act (by Paolo Porelli)", Ceramics Ireland 46 (December 2022) 19

"Argillà Italia 2022 kicks off in Faenza, Italy" in Ceramics Now 2022 (2022)

Daniela Lotta, "Madonne Protestanti, Terzo Atto (Protestant Madonnas. Third Act)" (exhibition text)

Nello Teodori, curator, Trienniale della Ceramica d’Arte Contemporanea di Gualdo Tadino (exhibition catalogue, Museo Opificio Rubboli) (Gualdo Tadino, 2022)

Èthos: Keramikos 2022, Palazzo Doebbing, Sutri (exhibition catalogue, Sutri 2022)

​Claudia Casali, ed., Premio Faenza, Biennale Internazionale della Ceramica d’Arte Contemporanea – edizione speciale (exhibition book, Faenza 2021)

Hanbyul Kim, Minhye Park (curators), Korean International Ceramic Biennale 2021 International Competition (exhibition catalogue, Korea Ceramic Foundation) (Korea, 2021)

"Paolo Porelli: Del estereotipo al arquetipo", Boletín Infocerámica, 14 agosto 2020​

Sandro Conte, curator, BACC (Biennale Arte Ceramica Contemporanea) (exhibition catalogue, Scuderie Aldobrandini X L'Arte) (Rome, 2020) pp.30-31

​Konrad Wolf, Achim Schwickert, et al, eds., 14.Westerwaldpries 2019 Keramik Europas (Germany, 2019) pp.72-75

XIV BICM – 19 Biennal Internacional de Ceràmica Manises (Manises, 2019) p.65

 Marinella Caputo, Domenico Iaracà, curators, D’Après: riprese e citazioni nella ceramica contemporanea (exhibition catalogue, Museo Opificio Rubboli) (Gualdo Tadino, 2019) p.

Peregrine Honig, "Divinities + Idols", HAS at Haw Contemporary 2018

“Inquietant/e figura humana (Disturbing human figure)”, Sala 30, curated by MACVAC (Museu d’arte Contemporanae Vicent Aguilera Cerní de Vilafamés), Aeroport Castellón, Spain

“Idolatry + Mythos in Sophie Aguilera + Paolo Porelli’s ‘Humanae Terrae’”, CFile,25 August 2017 

Claudia Casali, ‘Icone moderne’, in Humanae Terrae (exhibition catalogue, Rome 2017)

Blanc de Chine International Ceramic Art Award 2017 (exhibition catalogue, Beijing, China 2017)

Paolo Porelli: Humankind: the sublime & the ridiculous (exhibition catalogue, Belger Arts Center, Kansas City 2016)

Alice Thorson, “Paolo Porelli: Humankind: The Sublime and The Ridiculous”, Belger Arts Center, KC Studio November 11, 2016.

"Exposure", Ceramics Monthly (Nov. 2016) 13

Glen R. Brown, ‘2015 NCECA Biennial’, Ceramics Monthly (Dec. 2015), 58-62

R. Giovannini, curator, ‘Profiles of time: Paolo Porelli and the conceptual form’ in Profili del Tempo (exhibition catalogue, Rocca Flea, Museo Civico,

Gualdo Tadino) (Rome 2015)

N. Caruso and M. Margozzi, curators, La scultura ceramica contemporanea in Italia (Rome 2015)

Garth Johnson, curator, ‘Made at The Clay Studio: Guest Artists in Residence 2011-2014’

C. Copeland, Review "Figuration at the Clay Studio", Ceramics: Art & Perception 87 (2012) 63-65

Gabrielle Simongini, ‘The New Paganism of the Ultra-pop Idols’, Ceramics Ireland 27 (2011) 28-29

Lori-Ann Touchette, ‘Ultrapop Idols of Paolo Porelli’, Ceramics: Art & Perception 77 (2009) 12-15

Manuela De Leonardis, ‘Eidolon di Paolo Porelli, Roma, InternoVentidue’, Exibart (2008)