ABOUT
BIOGRAPHY
Born in Merano, Trentino Alto Adige, 1957.
The ceramist Alexandra Khuen-Belasi has dedicated herself entirely to design and aesthetic design for the living area. By weighing up practical value and beautiful form, the artist has created works that differ from other ceramics through their individuality and glazes with extremely harmonious tonal values.
The lively southern atmosphere certainly plays a role here, as the artist was born in South Tyrol. But as early as 1978 she attended the technical school for ceramics and kiln construction in Stoob, Burgenland, to learn the basic techniques. When the design and function of an object became the focus of Ms. Khuen-Belasi's life, she graduated from the University of Applied Arts in Vienna from 1979 - 1984 with Prof. Maria Biljan-Bilger and completed her training with a diploma from Prof. Mateo Thun. Participation in ceramics workshops, congresses, exhibitions and competitions sharpened their powers of observation, shaped their know-how and led to artistic development in the following areas:
- Design, design and execution of tiles for all living areas,
- Design and design of tiled stoves and fireplaces,
- Production of dishes, cans and porcelain objects.
Her latest creations are lamps for the living area. The designs and ceramic parts came from her, while she had to use a lot of persuasion and dynamism to convince experienced glassblowers in Murano of her ideas, who now produce the colorful lampshades. Of course, these lamps are unique pieces that have already been presented to admiring audiences in Vienna and Salzburg.
The following years were filled with intense work, both productions for exhibitions and work carried out for clients homes. A stove for the Alte Mühle Tiefenbrunn Gallery or for the Castello Gandegg exhibition, stoves and stove prototypes. Like the ceramic clock exhibitions at Henn Naglergasse or flower vases at Wendeltreppe, up to the production of huge vases for the Casa Museo Mater Barcelona.
EDUCATION
1977 High School graduation. 1978 Art Institute Stoob, Austria. Specialized in ceramics and the construction of stoves.
1979-1984 Academy of Applied Arts, Vienna. Specialized in ceramics with Prof. Maria Biljan-Bilger and Prof. Matheo Thun.
1984 Diploma at the Academy of Applied Arts, Vienna, Austria.
1985 Master year in Vienna with studio for ceramics
EXHIBITIONS
1981 International Exhibition Keramikausstellung, Spiez,
1983 Exhibition of hand painted tiles at 'Henn', Naglergasse-Vienna, Austria.
1984 Exhibition of hand painted tiles at 'Cersaie', International Fair, Bologna, Italy.
1984 Exhibition of coffee and tea services, Hofkonditorei-Demel-Vienna,
1985 Exhibit of ceramic objects, “Galerie im Prielhof", Appiano-Trentino Alto Adige, Italy.
1985 Exhibition of coffee and tea services at the ‘ Hofgarten Kunstpavillon', Innsbruck, Austria and Faenza.
1985 International competition 'Rosenthal', Germany.
1985 Group exhibition “Jugend gestaltet” Munich, Germany
1985 Exhibition of coffee and tea services in Faenza, Museo della ceramica, Italy. 1985 Show in the Ar/Ge Kunst Gallery, Bolzano, Italy.
1986 Exhibition “Öfen und Objekte” of wood burning stoves majolica and hand painted tiles “Henn”,Naglergasse, Vienna Austria
1987 Exhibition “Postmodern Design”, Lamps in glass, metal and ceramic, stove models in the 'Keramikstudio' Galerie, Vienna, Austria.
1987 Exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts, MAK, Vienna Austria. “Schau wee schön” Design in Austria
1988 Exhibit: European Handicraft “88” Stuttgart, Germany
1989 Exhibition 'Ceramic '89', Alte Mühle Tiefenbrunn Gallery. Rudolf Mangisch, Zürich, Svizzerland.
1989 Exhibition 'Laufen und Kunst', Laufen company, Öspag, Vienna, Austria. Hand painted sinks and tiles.
1990 Exhibition in the Gandegg castle in Appiano, Bolzano, Italy. ‘Appiano Artists from Baroque until Today', 1400 years, community of Appiano. Stoves, lamps and prototypes of stoves.
1992 Exhibition 'Zeitensprünge', Henn, Naglergasse, Vienna, Austria. Clocks realized in ceramic, metal and glass.
1994 Exebition Wendeltreppe- Bolzano glazed flowerpots and vases
1995 Exhibition Artigianato e Palazzo, Florence - handmade stoves and Flowerpots.
1998 Exhibition “Keramik” Galerie im Prielhof Appiano, Bolzano
2009 Exhibition “Maria Biljan-Bilger und ihre Meisterklasse an der Angewandten in Wien”
2024 Exhibition ‘Sincronizados en la Ceramica’ Mater Gallery, Barcelona Spain
COMMISSIONS & WORK EXPERIENCE
1988 Design for hand painted tiles for the company "Villeroy & Boch', Mettlach, Germany. La Ferte Gauche, France.
1988 book “Moderne Kachelöfen” Callwey
1989 Laboratory founded with Giorgio Mattioli. Collaboration in the production of handcrafted wood-burning stoves (design, development, realization and restoration).
1990 development production and installation of a fountain composed of 10.000 ceramic pieces for the Commercial Center Sillpark, Innsbruck Tirol, Austria
1992 Founding of my ceramic studio "Alexandra Khuen-Belasi Studio' for the production of wood-burning stoves and ceramic objects, Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy.
1992 till today production of many ceramic stoves, tiles for bathrooms, fountains, and other ceramic objects.
1996 production of handmade green and gold tile covering of an Art Nouveau building facade “Widok 8” in Warsaw.
2019 -2021 technical consultancy and production to the covering glaze of the cupola of the opera AKM Ataturk Cultural Center Istanbul
2021 green tiles for the Gucci store St.Moritz, Switzerland
2022/23 green tiles for Gucci store Aspen, Colorado ,USA
2024 Exposizione Casa Museo - Mater Barcelona