Officine Saffi Award 4

The Officine Saffi Award, now in its fourth edition, is a biennial award that promotes ceramics in contemporary culture. 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. 
The international jury, composed of Alessandro Rabottini (independent curator, artistic director of In Between Art Film); Livia Peraldo Matton (director responsible for Elle Decor); Christian Larsen (curator of MAD Museum); Alvise Braga Illa (collector); Julian Stair (artist); Carolina Orsini (curator at MUDEC); Lisbet Friis (designer, member of the Danish Arts Foundation); Laura Borghi (founder of Officine Saffi), after a long day of in-depth analysis, has chosen two artists who explore markedly different approaches.

The First Prize goes to Pus and Scabs by Virginia Leonard for her psychologically layered and exuberant expressionism. The jury also awards a purchase award to Maria Kristofersson for her quiet rigor and poetic exploration of space.

In addition to the first prize, eight residency awards have been awarded by some of the most renowned international centres dedicated to ceramics: Sundaymorning@ekwc, who has chosen the Chinese artist Wan Liya; the Danish Ceramic Research Center Guldagergaard has selected Marianne Huotari; the Spanish artist Icaro Maiterena has won the Bruckner Foundation residency prize; the Mondovì Ceramics Museum will host Phoebe Cummings for a residency and a solo exhibition in the halls of the museum; Este Ceramiche has invited Audrey Ballacchino to experiment within its mold archive; Tellurico has won a residency in Japan, in the occasion of the Sasama International Ceramic Art Festival; Päivi Rintaniemi, together with the City of Seinäjoki, will host the Norwegian artist Eyvind Solli Andreassen. Finally, Officine Saffi will host Chiara Camoni for a project to be developed together. Established for the first time, the Purchase Award dedicated to young artists promoted by Four Arts was awarded to Francesco Ardini for his work Veduta. For the special section, FOCUS: DENMARK (in collaboration with the Danish Arts Foundation), the special prize that includes the creation of a solo exhibition in 2022 accompanied by a catalogue was awarded to Turi Pedersen.

The finalists 

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Gunilla Maria Åkesson (SE, 1963)
Anton Alvarez (SE, 1980)
Eyvind Solli Andreassen (NO, 1986)
Salvatore Arancio (IT, 1974)
Francesco Ardini (IT, 1986) 
Audrey Ballacchino (FR, 1986) 
Chiara Camoni (IT, 1974)
David Casini (IT, 1973)
Rino Claessens (NL, 1994)
Phoebe Cummings (GB, 1981)
Formabesta (ES, 1965-68)
Jennifer Forsberg (SE, 1970)
Elly Glossop (GB, 1982)  
Annelie Grimwade Olofsson (SE, 1991) 
Michele Guido (IT, 1976)
Jessica Harrison (GB, 1982)
Marianne Huotari (FI, 1986)
Julia Huteau (FR, 1982)
Qwist Joseph (USA, 1987)
Jonathan Keep (UK, 1958)
Maria Kristofersson (SE, 1956)
Jeongwon Lee (KR, 1985)
Icaro Maiterena (ES, 1978)
Virginia Leonard (NZ, 1965)
Claire Lindner (FR, 1982)
Carlo Lorenzetti (USA, 1990)
Ian McDonald (USA, 1975)
Domenico Mangano & Marieke Van Rooy (IT-NL, 1974-76,)
Caterina Morigi (IT, 1991)
Monika Patuszyńska (PL, 1973)
Gregorio Peño Velasco (ES, 1983)
Héloïse Piraud (FR, 1988)
Andrea Sala (IT, 1976)
Catherine Sanke (DE, 1990)
Francesco Simeti (IT, 1968)
John Souter (USA, 1989)
Akiko Taniguchi (JP, 1978)
Tellurico (IT, 1985)
Iren Tete (USA, 1990)
Liya Wan (CN, 1963) 

FOCUS: DENMARK

Aya Simone Bækhøj Schmidt (1995)
Marie Herwald Hermann (1979)
Turi Heisselberg Pedersen (1965)
Pernille Pontoppidan Pedersen (1987)
Lone Skov Madsen (1964)

The exhibition set-up is designed by Riccardo Rossi.

The Officine Saffi Awards could not exist without the generous support of its
Patrons: 
The Municipality of Milan
International Museum of ceramics in Faenza

Partners: 
Sundaymonring@ekwc
Guldagergaard
Museo della Ceramica di Mondovì
Bruckner Foundation
Este Ceramiche
Päivi Rintaniemi
Città di Seinäjoki
ICAF, Sasama
Four Arts
Danish Arts Foundation
Italia Fudosan Real Estate
Terre Davis

Media Partners:
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