The Directors of the Solo Projects Section Select Four Finalist Projects for the illy SustainArt Prize at ARCOmadrid 2016

  • The IX edition of the illy SustainArt Prize at ARCOmadrid to recognize the work of one of the artists participating in the Solo Projects 2016 section

  • illycaffè has a special interest in Solo Projects, a section which exhibits and researches art from Latin American, one of the main areas of procurement of the company’s raw material

  • The four finalists selected by the directors of Solo Projects Irene Hofmann and Lucia Sanromán, and curators Maria de Pontes and Ruth Estévez.

  • The name of the winner will be announced on Thursday 25 February at 4 p.m. in the illy space at the fair by the members of the Jury, the directors of the Meeting of European and Latin American Museums João Fernandes and Adriano Pedrosa and Carlo Bach, Art Director of illycaffè

Madrid, February 9th – The works selected as finalists are Brutal a performance by artist Mercedes Azpilicueta, represented by Mirta Demare Gallery, Something Other Than What You Are, a project by Camell Collective, represented by Parque Galería, sculptures by Felipe Cohen, represented by Kubik gallery, and works by Huanchaco, represented by Soft Focus Institute gallery. The illy SustainArt Prize, will award 15,000 euros to one of these four projects, which are taking part in the Solo Projects 2016 section of ARCOmadrid.

In a new departure from the curatorial structure proposed by the directors in the previous edition of the Fair, Solo Projects is now centred around two core thematic elements. This opens up the possibility of exploring areas of art output, both by emerging/not-yet-recognized and already established artists, in Latin America. The two core themes are Art at the Intersection of Time and Subversion by Way of Humor.

The directors of the Solo Projects section, Irene Hofmann y Lucia Sanromán, and curators Maria de Pontes and Ruth Estévez have selected two finalist projects for each of this year’s core themes. In Art at the Intersection of Time,the finalists are Mercedes Azpilicueta and Camell Collective, whose works represent two very different approaches to performance. Azpilicueta was selected for her ability to relate live performance to the exhibition space, and Camell for the dramatic staging of the performance itself.

The artists selected in Subversion by Way of Humor thematic element share an interest in humour as both a tool and a strategy for subversion and provocation. Felipe Cohen uses collages and sculptures to play with optical illusions that lead on and hoodwink the observer, while Huanchaco tells a story of surreal and hilarious happenings during an expedition to the Amazon.

The illy SustainArt Prize will be awarded at ARCOmadrid on Thursday, 25 February at 4 p.m. in the illy Sustain Art space (Hall 7). The members of the Jury are João Fernandes, Deputy Director of Conservation, Research and Promotion at the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Adriano Pedrosa, Director of MASP, and Carlo Bach, Art Director of illycaffè. The award will be presented by Carlos Urroz, director of ARCOmadrid.

The illy SustainArt Prize offers the winning artist a cash award of 15,000 euros. The prize was established to share the Company’s commitment to sustainable growth with the international art community, and offers opportunities for visibility and exchange to artists from emerging countries.

The illy SustainArt Prize was founded at ARCOmadrid in 2008. That year it went to a young Brazilian artist, Matheus Rocha Pitta. In the second year, 2009, Avinash Veeraraghavan, a young emerging artist from India, won the award. The 2010 edition recognized Mexican artist Camilo Ontiveros, and in 2011, we had another young artist from Brazil, André Komatsu. In 2012, the award went to Chilean artist Voluspa Jarpa; in 2013, the couple Julia Rometti & Victor Costales received the prize for their work “Anarquismo Mágico”; in 2014, Argentinian Diego Bruno was recognized for his work “Location”, and last year the award went to Peruvian artist Sergio Zevallos for his project “Callejón Oscuro”.

illy SustainArt

The illy SustainArt Project was founded in 2007 with the purpose of giving a deeper structure to Illy’s presence in the world of contemporary art and of sharing with the international art community the company’s approach to sustainable business growth. Conceived to explore new frontiers of creativity, illy SustainArt is a hub of exhibitions, collaborations and art events, and a point of reference for artists, curators and art professionals from the entire world.

From 2008 to 2015, illy SustainArt was also a digital platform, a communications tool, a growing network and a window into the world of contemporary art in coffee-producing countries and emerging markets.

illycaffè was founded in Trieste in 1933; the company manufactures and markets a unique blend of 100% Arabica espresso coffee and is the leading brand in top quality coffee. illycaffè has been an official partner of Expo 2015, creating and managing the content, exhibits and events centred on coffee in the common area of the Expo Coffee Cluster. Almost 7 million cups of illy coffee are consumed daily throughout the world. illy coffee is sold in more than 140 countries and is served in over 100,000 of the world’s finest restaurants and cafés. The monobrand illy shops are about 230 in 43 Countries. The company also set up and runs the Coffee University with a view to fostering and spreading the culture of coffee; this centre of excellence provides comprehensive academic and hands-on training for coffee growers, baristas and fans covering every aspect of the product. The company has approximately 1,084 people on its global payroll, and in 2014 posted consolidated revenues of €391 million. illy purchases green coffee beans directly from growers of the highest quality Arabica, based on partnerships underpinned by the principles of sustainable development. Out of its Trieste headquarters the company encourages long-term partnerships with the world’s best growers in Brazil, Central America, India and Africa, sharing know-how and technology and paying higher than market compensation.