Fondazione Prada announces the winner of the seventh edition of the Degree Prize, awarded to Elena Pellicciari of the University of Milan with the thesis entitled Eugènia Balcells: artistic production from 1976 to 1985. The decision was established by a jury composed of Miuccia Prada, President and Director of the Prada Foundation; Tommaso Sacchi, Councilor for Culture of the Municipality of Milan; Luciano Fontana, Director of Corriere della Sera and Chiara Costa, Head of Programs of Fondazione Prada.
The prize consists in the assignment of a scholarship of a maximum value of 25,000 euros aimed at the winner’s participation in a six-monthly, annual or biennial master’s degree, chosen from a selection of international schools and universities and relating to a of the following areas of study: Museology, Curation, Cultural Marketing and Economics and Management of artistic and cultural resources. After obtaining the title, an internship will be activated at the Foundation lasting six months which completes the training course and allows the winner to collaborate with one of the institution’s departments.
As Miuccia Prada underlines, “this initiative demonstrates how study and research are central elements for the Foundation. With this award we not only want to recognize the commitment and seriousness of theoretical study, but to give young researchers the opportunity to translate their knowledge and skills into the Foundation’s projects to actively involve them in the daily reality of a cultural institution.”
Elena Pellicciari’s thesis investigates the work of the Catalan conceptual artist Eugènia Balcells (Barcelona, 1943) examining her artistic production between 1976 and 1985. The research traces Balcells’ biographical profile and also presents a series of detailed profiles of her works that constitute a starting point for the drafting of a catalog raisonné of the artist. The jury based its evaluations on the rigor of the methodology followed, the meticulous archival investigation, the accurate use of sources and the effectiveness of the writing. The ability with which Elena Pellicciari was able to structure the research and study a little-known artist internationally, providing an unprecedented reading of her works, was underlined.
Fondazione Prada promotes the Graduation Award in the belief that art and culture are effective tools for knowledge and growth and with the intention of playing an even more incisive role towards the younger generations and the city of Milan. Established in 2018, this annual initiative is a recognition of the passion and commitment of students who have discussed a thesis relating to cultural issues at one of the following Milanese universities: University of Milan, Free University of Languages and Communication IULM of Milan, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Polytechnic of Milan, Bocconi University and Vita-Salute San Raffaele University. For this edition, each institute has reported to the Foundation two candidates of Italian or foreign nationality who have obtained a master’s degree with the highest grade “cum laude” by 29 April 2024 and no later than the first year out of course.
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