Preziosa Young Design Competition 2020

The aim is to contribute to the circulation of what is new in research jewellery, as well as showcase what the new generations of goldsmiths/designers/artists are “brewing”.

Thanks to the seriousness of intent, to the visibility and promotion deals to selected artists, and to the high profile of the jury, PYOUNG has become a prestigious worldwide event. Every year we select a small number of artists by assessing the material that the candidates submit to us: a concise presentation of their research and images of their work. The jury doesn’t know the participants’ names, countries of origin or the schools they have attended, and have to choose the winners on the basis of the originality of their research, the formal quality of the jewellery, and the coherence between concept and objects.

PREZIOSA is a cultural project, the first annual exhibition dedicated to Contemporary Jewellery in Italy. Every year the artistic approach to the complex subject of jewellery is explored through a specific concept and with the selection of artists from the international scene. The project, imagined, managed and coordinated by LAO started in 2005 and has quickly become the most important Italian event devoted to contemporary jewellery.
PREZIOSA can be considered as an explorative path always in motion


Preziosa Young Competition is open to worldwide artists, goldsmiths, silversmiths, designers, professionals, students to present projects that illustrate the work in which they are currently involved.

Prizes and Recognition:
The participants in the competition do not pay an entry fee and the winners do not receive any financial prize. LAO produces a catalogue and the works are exhibited at the PREZIOSA event, during which many other artists are present. In this way, the young artists have the opportunity to present their research in an international-level artistic environment.

Thanks to a collaboration agreement between LAO and the Inhorgenta fair, one of the selected artists are awarded free exhibition space there during the following edition of the fair.
LAO offers one of the winners a three-month stay in Florence as “artist in residence”.


Awards:
- PREZIOSA prize.
- LAO special prize.
- INHORGENTA prize.

Jury 2020:
Giovanni Corvaja, goldsmith artist;
Eugenia Gadaleta, teacher and communication consultant;
Kazumi Nagano, goldsmith artist;
Cóilín O'Dubhghaill, goldsmith artist;
Renzo Pasquale, goldsmith artist and teacher;
Carla Riccoboni, jewellery designer and teacher;
Sam Tho Duong, goldsmith artist.


A selection of objects of the selected artists will be presented in the Preziosa space at the Inhorgenta fair (Munich, Germany), from 14th to 17th February 2020.
The winners will also participate in the selection for the LAO Special Prize (three months as Artist in Residence in Florence) and the Special Award Inhorgenta (a free exhibition space for the 2021 edition of the fair).
The complete exhibition and the catalogue will be presented during Florence Jewellery Week, from May 28 to June 4 2020.