Mile-long lines for the grand-opening of "Connectivity" at the Chelsea Museum in New York: the successful debut in the Big Apple for the 16 winners of the Terna Prize 01. Overall, nearly 3 thousand visitors that during the exhibit’s opening didn’t want to miss the rendez-vous with contemporary art "made in Italy". "The New York public reacted enthusiastically - explained Gianluca Marziani, the Prize’s curator. Crowds gathered until late at night witnessing our artists’ high artistic quality. The exhibit and the spaces chosen for this event were carefully planned and chosen. In addition to having an ever greater appeal, the Chelsea Museum continues to grow in visibility”. The crowds of curious onlookers and members of the art community also included many VIPs. Among the Italians, Massimilano Gioni, Director of the special exhibits of the New Museum of contemporary art in New York and the artistic director of the Trussardi Foundation, the artists Maurizio Cattelan and Nicola Verlato. The opening was also attended by many art journalists such as the contributors of Art Forum, one of the leading publications in the art sector and several directors of the most prestigious galleries such as: Sonnabend and Metro Pictures, only to mention a few as well as representatives of the Phillips Auction House. A touch of glamour was also added to the evening by the presence of the actor who played "Basquiat", Jeffrey Wright.
The exhibit was also accompanied by a catalogue created with the contribution of photographs and statements by the artists to present their visual research to New York and also to provide a special point of view on Italy. The volume in English was distributed in over 3,000 copies to members of the art community: galleries, museums and cultural centers. During the New York event, a study was also presented on the perception that the American art community has of Italian contemporary art, a useful reflection aimed at enriching the sector’s knowledge within a context of exchange and international growth. The opening evening was attended by New York’s cultural and contemporary art representatives: collectors, gallery owners and obviously, the 16 winners of the Terna Prize 01: Luigi Ontani, for the Terawatt category; Francesco Arena, Giovanni Ozzola, Elena Baldelli, Gabriele Giugni, Riccardo Albanese, Davide Eron Salvadei, Gabriele Bonato for the Gigawatt category; Andrea Chiesi, Laura Cantarella, Rocco Dubbini, Davide Bertocchi, Raffaella Mariniello, Antonio Riello and Giovanni Albanese for the Megawatt category and Hotel de la Lune, winner of the Online Award. The exhibit held at the Chelsea Museum is the first event within the Connectivity project which aims at internationalizing the Terna Prize with the support of the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities and in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The objective is to establish an interconnection between Italian and foreign artists through sharing and exchanging experiences. Each year, the project will also select another contemporary art world capital where connectivity can be established, starting this year with New York. In addition to the past categories of the contest, the Terawatt (by invitation for well-known artists), Megawatt and Gigawatt (for emerging artists over and under 35 years of age), the 2009 edition will also present the special category, Connectivity New York open to both Italian and foreign artists working in the Big Apple. Greater internationalization was also given to the Prize’s jury that will be formed by important international figures such as Mattew Higgs, Director of the White Columns of New York and Vicente Todoli, Director of the Tate Modern Gallery in London. The winners of the prizes will receive a 3 month "Artist Residency Program" in Rome and in New York.
2009-06-30
