November 4–7, 2021
Artissima, the International Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin, closed on November 7 with 31,500 visitors. Directed for the fifth consecutive year by Ilaria Bonacossa, the fair confirmed its leading role amongst influential contemporary art events with international visibility, providing a platform for emerging talents and innovative galleries. The 2021 edition was the first to feature Intesa Sanpaolo as the main partner of the event.
The seven sections of the fair, including the three sections curated by international boards presented in Artissima XYZ (physically and online thanks to the support of Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo), contained approximately 1,500 artworks. The fair welcomed over 450 collectors from 21 countries and almost 5,000 VIP guests and 400 art professionals, including museum directors and curators. A demonstration of the trust and importance that continue to be assigned to this event, also on an international level.
Ilaria Bonacossa says: “After almost two full years of complexity, I didn’t dare to hope for such success. The large corridors made the fair more monumental and safer at the same time, preventing close gatherings and enabling visitors to enjoy the art in total safety. Beautiful stands, an international and Italian audience, and sales above and beyond our most optimistic hopes. The art market has truly restarted in Torino.”
Highlights
Highlights at the fair included the project Hub India—Maximum Minimum in collaboration with Emami Art and curated by Myna Mukherjee and Davide Quadrio, providing a surprising overview of the galleries, institutions and artists of a very important region of the world; the exhibition Vitality of time. The art collections of Intesa Sanpaolo; the installation Nunca encontramos a Satoshi by the artist Radamés “Juni” Figueroa; the group show Sustainable revolution featuring the ten winners of JaguArt—The Italian Talent Road Show; and the works of the winners of the two editions of the Torino Social Impact Art Award, Monia Ben Hamouda and the collective MRZB (2021), Caterina Erica Shanta and Liryc Dela Cruz (2020).
In town, Hub India—Classical Radical, a three-part museum show at Palazzo Madama, MAO and Accademia Albertina, visible until December 5; the exhibition Rimbalzi at Grattacielo Intesa Sanpaolo, on view and online until December 5; the installation 6 CHAIRS by the artist Augustas Serapinas at the Hotel Principi di Piemonte | UNA Esperienze; and the Artissima creative lounge What a Combo! at Combo.
Prizes and acquisitions
Ten awards were assigned during the fair alongside special acquisitions.
The illy Present Future Prize, promoted by illycaffè, was awarded to Diana Policarpo, presented by LEHMANN + SILVA gallery, Porto.
The FPT for Sustainable Art Award, promoted by FPT Industrial, was awarded to Lennart Lahuis, presented by Dürst Britt & Mayhew gallery, The Hague.
The Tosetti Value Award for photography, promoted by Tosetti Value - Il Family office, was awarded to Fatma Bucak, presented by Peola Simondi gallery, Turin.
The Carol Rama Award, promoted by Fondazione Sardi per l’Arte, was awarded to Ivana Spinelli, presented by GALLLERIAPIÙ, Bologna.
The first VANNI #artistroom Prize, promoted by VANNI occhiali, was awarded to Catalin Pislaru, presented by Nir Altman gallery, Munich.
The first Xiaomi HyperCharge Award, promoted by Xiaomi, was awarded to Gillian Brett, presented by C+N Canepaneri, Milan and Genoa.
The Ettore and Ines Fico Prize, promoted by MEF Museo Ettore Fico, was awarded to Mimosa Echard and Namsal Siedlecki, respectively presented by Martina Simeti gallery, Milan and Magazzino, Rome.
The first “ad occhi chiusi…” Prize, promoted by Fondazione Merz, was awarded to Heba Y. Amin, presented by Zilberman gallery, Istanbul and Berlin, and Dominique White, presented by VEDA gallery, Florence.
JaguArt—The Italian Talent Road Show, promoted by Jaguar, was assigned to Luca Arboccò.
Five artists have been selected for Surfing NFT, the debut project of the platform Beyond Production produced in collaboration with Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT and Artissima, inviting contemporary artists to experiment the production of a work using NFTs and the blockchain technology: Darren Bader—Franco Noero, Turin / Claudia Comte—König, Berlin / Matteo Nasini—Clima, Milan / Sarah Ortmeyer—Dvir, Brussels and Tel Aviv / Damon Zucconi—VEDA, Florence. Among the five works, one will be selected as the winner of the OGR Award in February 2022 and will be acquired by Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT for its collection.
Furthermore, Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT acquired twelve works by seven artists for Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea and GAM—Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna di Torino.
The fair also presented the acquisitions of the first edition of Marval Collection New Entries Support oriented to the promotion of young galleries: Mimosa Echard, presented by Martina Simeti gallery, Milan, Eliška Konečná, presented by eastcontemporary, Milan, and Nelson Pernisco, presented by White Noise, Rome.
Thanks to all our exhibitors and partners.
Save the date for 2022: November 4–6 (preview November 3).
