Artissima the International Fair of Contemporary Art in Turin – the most contemporary art fair in Italy – closed on November 6 with 33,200 visitors in 4 days.Directed for the first year by Luigi Fassi, the fair confirmed its leading role amongst influential contemporary art events with international visibility, providing a platform for emerging talents and innovative galleries. The 2022 edition was the third to feature Intesa Sanpaolo as the main partner of the event.
This year Artissima returned to its full physical presence at the Oval Lingotto, including the four established sections – Main Section, New Entries, Monologue/Dialogue e Art Spaces & Editions – and the three curated sections - Disegni, Present Future and Back to the Future, the core of the exhibition pavilion, accompanied by extensive in-depth content on the digital platform, thanks to Artissima Voice Over. The fair welcomed over 650 collectors from 30 countries and almost 8,000 VIP guests and 800 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.
Luigi Fassi said:This 29th edition has proven that Artissima is the fair that internationalizes the Italian art system, connecting it to the global scene. Artissima nurtures, grows and almost produces a new generation of Italian and international gallerists, a fact reflected in the participation of 42 galleries taking part in the fair for the first time, seeing Turin as a lever of development for their entrepreneurial potential.
Highlights at the fair included the exhibition of a body of six original works by American photographer Gregory Crewdson in collaboration with Intesa Sanpaolo; Artissima Junior, the project by Artissima and Juventus for children from 6 to 11 years of age, who became the protagonists of an immersive creative operation with the artist Giovanni Ozzola; the new project A Sud, created out of Artissima’s intention to emphasize the activities of galleries, foundations and art institutions operating in the southern areas and islands of Italy; the AudioGuides, an innovative podcast project to accompany visitors on an independent personal tour through the stands in collaboration with Lauretana; An Alchemic Experience by Jaguar, featuring the alchemy of visual and sonic impressions; and the works of the winners of the third edition of the Torino Social Impact Art Award, Federico Pozuelo and Natália Trejbalová.
In town, the Artissima projects included: So will your voice vibrate which presented three sound interventions at GAM with Riccardo Benassi (on show until 8 January 2023), at MAO with Charwei Tsai (on show until 30 April 2023) and at Palazzo Madama with a performance by Darren Bader; the film and video project Collective Individuals, conceived and produced in dialogue with Gallerie d’Italia – Turin and curated by Leonardo Bigazzi; the installation Tempo rizomatico by the artist Diego Cibelli at the hotel Principi di Piemonte by Gruppo UNA; the new video installation Liquid Transfers by Diana Policarpo – winner of the illy Present Future
Ten awards were assigned during the fair alongside special acquisitions.
The illy Present Future Prize, promoted by illycaffè, was awarded to Peng Zuqiang, presented by Antenna Space gallery, Shanghai.
The FPT for Sustainable Art Award, promoted by FPT Industrial, was awarded to Nohemí Pérez, presented by mor charpentier gallery, Paris and Bogotà.
The VANNI occhiali #artistroom Prize, promoted by VANNI, was awarded to Teresa Giannico, presented by Viasaterna gallery, Milan.
The Tosetti Value Award for photography, promoted by Tosetti Value, was awarded to Oroma Elewa, presented by In situ – Fabienne Leclerc gallery, Paris.
The new Matteo Viglietta Award, promoted by Collezione La Gaia, was awarded to Vasilis Papageorgiou presented by UNA gallery, Piacenza.
The Carol Rama Award, promoted by Fondazione Sardi per l’Arte, was awarded to Anna Perach, presented by ADA, Rome.
The Ettore and Ines Fico Prize, promoted by MEF Museo Ettore Fico, was awarded to Kate Newby, presented by Art : Concept gallery, Paris.
“ad occhi chiusi…”, promoted by Fondazione Merz, assigned ex-aequo to Alex Ayed presented by ZERO… gallery, Milan and Nona Inescu presented by SpazioA gallery, Pistoia.
The new ISOLA SICILIA 2022, promoted by Fondazione Oelle, was awarded to Dala Nasser, presented by Deborah Schamoni gallery, Munich.
Four artists have been announced for METAmorphosis, the second edition of the Beyond Production platform born from the collaboration of Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT and Artissima that in 2022 invites contemporary artists to explore the phenomenon of the Metaverse: Marcos Lutyens – Alberta Pane, Paris, Venice / Eva & Franco Mattes – Apalazzogallery, Brescia / Rebeca Romero – Copperfield, London / R M – Martina Simeti, Milan.
Furthermore, Fondazione per l’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT acquired 10 works by seven artists for Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea and GAM – Galleria Civica d’Arte Moderna di Torino.