‘Joe Tilson was born in London in 1928. A craftsman in wood, he studied art at the Martin’s School of Art and at the Royal College of Art. He taught at the School of Visual Arts di New York and at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste in Hamburg. His first major exhibitions, at the Marlborough Gallery in London in 1962, and at the1964 Venice Biennial (where he first gained international recognition), were followed by many other exhibitions, the most important of which were held at the Boymans van Beunigen Museum in Rotterdam (1971) and at the Vancouver Gallery (1979). For over forty years Joe Tilson has been both a painter and a sculptor: his beautifully crafted works reveal a great personality and are full of meaning and symbolism. “The encounter with terracotta and ceramics happened about ten years ago after being inspired by ancient myths”, Enrico Crispolti wrote in the presentation of the beautiful catalogue “Joe Tilson. Terracotta and maiolica, sculptures and reliefs (1985-1995) at the Cooperativa Ceramica d’Imola” (Ed. Corraini 1995), ” …This dialogue with the ctonic mythical heritageand its main characters (Demetra, Persephne, Kore and Dionysius), found its most relevant and concrete means of expressivion in the direct manipulation of the earth: no longer the mere painting of objects but the more inspiring sculpture”. The Cooperativa Ceramiche di Imola, founded in the middle of the eighteenth century, has enriched its traditional activity with a world-renowned artistic section. It is worth mentioning the museum, placed in the historical headquarters of the Cooperativa, which describes its centuries long history, and hosts many prestigious works, including those by Joe Tilson.’