PREZIOSA Young Design Competition 2017

In a world that wants us more and more homologated, equal to each other, but at the same time puts the emphasis on racial, religious or ideological differences, erecting walls in defense of false values, and imprisons those who seem different, the valorization of its own and others’ cultural identity becomes a respectful and mutual understanding issue.

Everyone has the right and the duty to cultivate its present history and its traditions, and transmitting them to his children, in the forms and in the manner that every people choose for itself.
A kind of world cultural domination wants to dictate to all of us how to make our choices, how to dress, how to talk, what to eat, and what art to produce.

Far from being a limit, the cultural differences are an inalienable wealth for the whole of humanity, and not just for a specific country, or a specific geographical, political or military area.
Classical art and traditional crafts, constitute for every human group and every single person a legacy that cannot be ignored, or simply put aside.
Contemporary research has its roots in this memory, and from it draws its nourishment.

Based on the above considerations, we invite worldwide young jewellery makers to apply and submit works from which emerges a research linked to the contemporary interpretation of traditional themes of your culture, in the broadest sense of the term.

Your research can be inspired to any traditional art or craft form, a material, a technique, an object of use, an ornamental detail, or architectural elements, without any limit. Immaterial source of inspiration are also admitted.
The creative process, the reasons, the objectives of the candidates should be explained through the objects and the statement submitted to the jury.

The selection will be based on:
The originality in the contemporary re-interpretation of the tradition.
The quality of design and manufacture of the pieces.
The contemporary use of the materials.
The conceptual and technical innovation.

Participants:
Worldwide artists, goldsmiths, silversmiths, designers, professionals, students, may submit their candidature, provided that they are not older than 35 years by the end of 2016.
There is no cost for participation or registration, apart from the shipment of the objects.

Awards:
Preziosa prize. The works of the selected participants will be presented in May-June 2017, in Florence, in conjunction with Florence Jewellery Week 2017, and a full color catalogue will be published.
LAO special prize. One of the selected artists will be invited to Florence for a period of three months, asArtist in residence.
Inhorgenta prize. One of the selected artists will be for awarded with a free space for the participation as exhibitor to the 2018’s edition of the fair.

Exhibition:
The Preziosa Young exhibition will take place in conjunction with the international exhibition/conference Preziosa, Florence Jewellery Week, May-June 2017, in Florence. The organizers could also plan other exhibitions along the year: the selected artists are committed to deliver their work to all the scheduled events. Each of the selected winners must present 5 to 10 pieces for the exhibition, following the indication of the organizers. These pieces must be the same (or similar) to those submitted for the selection.A full color catalogue will be published, with CV and statement of the winners.