OFFICINE SAFFI AWARD 4 | francescoardini

THE FINALISTS OF THE OFFICINE SAFFI AWARD

ON SHOW IN MILAN FROM 7 SEPTEMBER.

Milan, 28th June 2021

The Officine Saffi Award, now in its fourth edition, is a biennial award that promotes ceramics in contemporary culture. Works by 45 finalist artists, coming from over 16 countries, will be on exhibition from September 7th to November 7th, 2021, in Milan.

Installations, objects, sculptures, and research projects will be on display at an exhibition where the world of contemporary art meets collectible design and high-level international craftsmanship.

This important exhibition will bring together the most exciting research on ceramics in two locations: the Officine Saffi Gallery (via Saffi 7) and a new exhibition space located in Piazza Virgilio 4.

The artists set to participate are: Gunilla Maria Åkesson (1963, Sweden), Anton Alvarez (1980, Sweden), Eyvind Solli Andreassen (1986, Norway), Salvatore Arancio (1974, Italy), Francesco Ardini (1986, Italy), Audrey Ballacchino (1986, France), Chiara Camoni (1974, Italy), David Casini (1973, Italy), Rino Claessens (1994, The Netherlands) , Phoebe Cummings (1981, UK),   Formabesta (1965-68, Spain), Jennifer Forsberg (1970, Sweden),  Elly Glossop (1982, Scotland) , Annelie Grimwade Olofsson (1991, Sweden), Michele Guido (1976, Italy), Jessica Harrison (1982, UK), Marianne Huotari (1986, Finland), Julia Huteau (1982, France), Qwist Joseph (1987, USA), Jonathan Keep (1958, UK), Maria Kristofersson (1956, Sweden), Jeongwon Lee (1985, South Korea), Icaro Maiterena (1978, Spain), Virginia Leonard (1965, New Zealand), Claire Lindner (1982, France), Carlo Lorenzetti (1990, USA), Ian McDonald (1975, USA), Domenico Mangano & Marieke Van Rooy (1974-76, IT-NL), Caterina Morigi (1991, Italy), Monika Patuszyńska (1973, Poland), Gregorio Peño Velasco (1983, Spain), Héloïse Piraud (1988, France), Andrea Sala (1976, Italy), Catherine Sanke (1990, Germany), Francesco Simeti (1968, Italy), John Souter (1989, USA), Akiko Taniguchi (1978, Japan), Tellurico (1985, Italy), Iren Tete (1990, USA), Liya Wan (1963, China).

In addition, the FOCUS: DENMARK exhibition will feature Aya Simone Bækhøj Schmidt (1995), Marie Herwald Hermann (1979), Turi Heisselberg Pedersen (1965), Pernille Pontoppidan Pedersen (1987) and Lone Skov Madsen (1964).

FOCUS: is a new special section focused on a specific geographical area. Danish artists, in collaboration with the Danish Arts Foundation, are the protagonists of this first edition.

More than 600 candidates entered the competition. Finalists were short listed by an international committee composed of various influencers from the world of art and design: Glenn Adamson, curator, Garth Clark, editor-in-chief Cfile, Annalisa Rosso, co-founder Mr. Lawrence, Matt Wedel, artist, Elisa Ossino, architect and interior designer, Jill Singer e Monica Khemsurov, editors-in-chief Sight Unseen, Isabelle Naef Galuba, director of the Musée Ariana, Laura Borghi, founder Officine Saffi.

Shortly before the exhibition opens, the winners of the awards will be announced in an online ceremony. The jury for the competition will be composed of: Alessandro Rabottini curator, artistic director In Between Art Film; Livia Peraldo Matton, editor-in-chief Elle Decor; Christian Larsen, curator MAD Museum; Alvise Braga Illa, collector; Julian Stair, artist; Carolina Orsini, curator MUDEC; Lisbet Friis, designer and member of Danish Arts Foundation; Laura Borghi, founder Officine Saffi.

The Four Arts Acquisition Award, worth € 3500, is the last prize established to promote young ceramic artists under the age of 35 won by me with the selected work:

VEDUTA

2020

Gres panel with polychrome inkject photoceramic treatment (920°C), Wooden panel with metal

120x100x2,5cm

"Photographic reproduction of Cozzi porcelain from the collections of the Giuseppe Roi Ceramics Museum - Courtesy Musei Civici di Bassano del Grappa"

The decoration of a small ceramic cup from the Cozzi collection exhibited at Palazzo Sturm in Bassano del Grappa becomes the scene of a landscape free from the physical dimension, born after a long process of virtual abstraction, giving the illusion of being in a different dimension in space and time.

An ideal territory, with a splendid landscape and climate, a blissful place where dreams dwell suspended in a seductive and subtle ceramic surface, becoming a vision of beauty and serenity at the edge of the Earth. A small chinoiserie with a bridge becomes the place where the visible and the invisible coexist in a time that appears suspended.

The exhibition set-up is designed by Riccardo Rossi.

The Officine Saffi Awards could not exist without the generous support of its

Sponsors:

The Municipality of Milan: https://www.comune.milano.it/

International Museum of ceramics in Faenza: http://www.micfaenza.org/it/

Partners:

Sundaymonring@ekwc: https://sundaymorning.ekwc.nl/

Guldagergaard: http://ceramic.dk/

Mondovì Ceramics Museum: https://www.museoceramicamondovi.it/

Bruckner Foundation: http://www.ceramique-bruckner.ch/en

Este Ceramiche: https://www.esteceramiche.com/it/

Päivi Rintaniemi: https://rintaniemi.fi/