Osvaldo Licini by Fainplast Award
The Osvaldo Licini by Fainplast Award stems from an idea by the Picena Contemporary Art Association with the collaboration of the City of Ascoli Piceno and the Fainplast Group: an institution, an association, and a private company uniting to honor a 20th century master. For the third year, one of the five finalists will be chosen in the Pittura XXI section of Arte Fiera by a jury composed of a judge appointed by the Award and by two contemporary art professionals chosen by Arte Fiera.
The Osvaldo Licini by Fainplast Award is dedicated to Italian painting, and is unique in that it does not have an internal jury. Instead, about forty contemporary art professionals, including curators, critics, collectors, museum directors, and journalists, are requested to provide the name of two artists they believe have done outstanding work during the year or have achieved a major career. There are five criteria for naming such artist: he/she must be Italian or live permanently in Italy; his/her work must mainly be painting; he/she must not be older than 64 (Osvaldo Licini’s age at his death); he/she must have taken part in at least one large show in Italy or abroad (biennial, quadrennial, or equally important exhibitions); must not have already won the award.
The artist selected by Arte Fiera will go into the final with a minimum of 3 votes (to which those of other external jurors may be added) and will compete with the other finalists voted by external jurors.
The winning artist in 2021 was Marco Neri; in 2022, Riccardo Baruzzi. The winner in 2023 is Valerio Nicolai.
Jury:
Roberta Faraotti, collector
Alessandro Rabottini, critic and curator, Artistic Director of In Between Art Film Foundation
Eva Fabbris, Director of MADRE, Naples
Artista vincitore (finalista del premio): Claudio Coltorti
Galleria: Acappella, B89
Motivation: For the clarity with which the artist gives form to something intangible, i.e., the relation between solitude and technology, hyperinformation and aphasia, we believe that his inner world may harmonize with the poetic of Osvaldo Licini.