Milan, 9 September 2023.The winner of the eighth edition of the Michele Cea Award, aimed at young emerging Italian and foreign artists and established by the Michele Cea ETS, is Mattia Trabalza, born in 1996 in Foligno (Perugia), with the video “Creative Process”. Mattia was awarded with the following motivation: “For having narrated the process that leads the creator to create the work, leaving around it the indelible trace of his passage in the world”. The artist won first place by winning the sum of 3,000 euros, a glass sculpture made by the sculptor Germano Caiano based on work no. 50 “La Scala” by Michele Cea; a solo and/or group exhibition; publication in the monthly magazine Arte (Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori-Cairo Editore) in October 2023 and a mention in the 2024 Modern Art Catalogue (CAM 60 – Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori). second and third places in the ranking are by the Russian artist Daria Zyablitseva, 33 years old, with the sculpture entitled “The Sleeper”, and Giuseppe Ghiro, 28 years old, originally from Bari, with the painting entitled “Reading Solitude”, who won a prize of 1,000 and 500 euros respectively, in addition to a mention in the 2024 Modern Art Catalogue (CAM 60 – Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori).
The three artists were awarded today, September 9, 2023, during the opening evening of With Light in Their Eyes, the free event dedicated to art and young emerging artists, on stage in Milan until September 17 at the “Ex Fornace” space, Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, 16. The event, which brings together figurative arts, literature, photography, and film culture, is organized by the Michele Cea ETS Foundation, with the contribution of the Cariplo Foundation, Anteprima design, Well See, Maiestus and with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan MUNICIPIO 6, the Metropolitan City of Bari, the Brera Art School, the Academy of Fine Arts of Agrigento, the Regional Association of Puglia, GAL, ASM Costruire Insieme, the Municipality of Alessandria and the Arteka and Hoken Tech Associations.
Type: Video
Mattia Trabalza was born in 1996 in Foligno (PG), where he currently lives and works. After earning a Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia and Technological Arts from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome in 2018, he earned a Master's Degree in Multimedia Arts in Rome in 2021. He works as a freelance photographer and videographer, and a high school teacher. As a digital artist, his work alternates between video art and conceptual photography, which he uses to create digital manipulation. His research explores aspects of gravity, time, and the surreal to connect with human archetypes. He has always been fascinated by the creative process and the infinite connections that constitute it, to which he dedicates part of his work. Photography was born as a tool to document reality, but today, through digital manipulation, it is possible to create new scenarios, even surreal ones, to express different mental landscapes belonging to the realm of fantasy. There are factors like time and gravity that cannot be explained through simple analog photography, so Mattia Trabalza goes beyond the surface of things and seeks out those symbols that become the building blocks of a new and more complete vision. Some of Mattia Trabalza's projects can be considered meta-art, as they narrate and offer a reflection on the same creative method used and illustrated by his digital images. The artist narrates his experience in artistic research through dreamlike and allegorical images, illustrating the phases of an intrinsic process of infinite prisms of emotions and sensations that perhaps aren't described in detail, but what matters is the final composition where "the sum is worth more than any single part.".
Type: Sculpture
Place and date of birth: USSR (SUN) – 26.05.1990
In my artistic research, I synthesize the forms of past cultures. I study the works of the Greeks, the Romans, and even the Mayans, and reinterpret them with my own sensibility. My goal in sculpture is to achieve the state of archaic art, which unites two seemingly incompatible aspects: high professionalism and sincere naiveté. The creation of a sculptural work is an act of introspection. When I begin a sculpture, the theme arises spontaneously; once defined, all attention is directed to composition, stylization, the relationship between volumes, and construction, like an architect building a monument. The immediacy with which a theme is chosen has never left me time to ask the question: "Why?" The close relationship I had with my mother has impacted me and influenced many of my works. Over the years, my artistic research has evolved, drawing ever closer to the origins of this relationship and of my childhood. The work "The Sleeper" is my memory of my childhood.
Type: Painting
Giuseppe Ghiro was born in Bari on July 6, 1995. Life has always shown him the path: art. He discovered his passion as a child, immediately exposed to drawing. Having developed a strong artistic interest, he decided to study graphic design and advertising at the Mons. Bello Institute in Molfetta, thus combining his passion with his career. After completing his graphic design studies, he realized that combining his passion with his career did not make him happy and fulfilled. He therefore decided to pursue art studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bari, studying painting. Over the years, he traveled to France several times, settling briefly in Paris, where he encountered art, poetry, and Parisian artists. Upon returning to Italy, he decided to interrupt his academic studies to devote himself entirely to art. After participating in several group exhibitions, he held a solo exhibition in 2020 at the Hotel San Martin in Giovinazzo. During 2020, he devoted himself entirely to artistic production, developing an understanding of the value of his painting and stylistically refining his work. He is now ready for new personal artistic challenges.
The opening evening, hosted by actor and art critic Michele Franco, was attended by: Anna Scavuzzo, Deputy Mayor of the City of Milan (welcome remarks); Francesca De Feo, Councilor for Culture of the City of Milan, District 6; actress Margot Sikabonyi; and Carlo Motta, Giorgio Mondadori Publishing. Also in attendance was Alfonso Borghi, a renowned contemporary artist and master (https://www.alfonsoborghi.it/), who featured on the cover of the 58th Modern Art Catalogue (CAM). As a sign of friendship and respect, he has decided to donate one of his works to the Michele Cea ETS Foundation, which will remain on display for the entire duration of the event.
Winners and finalists on display from September 9 to 17, 2023. All 12 finalist works will remain on display at the "Ex Fornace" space, Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, 16, Milan, for the entire duration of the " With Light in Their Eyes" event. Opening hours: every day 10:00-12:30/15:00-21:00. On event days, the exhibition will close at 11:00 pm (see attached program).
Furthermore, thanks to the recent partnership with the Italian company Hoken Tech, all 12 finalist artists will have the opportunity – if they wish – to digitize their finalist work as an NFT (non-fungible token) for free.
The Michele Cea Award. Now in its eighth year, the Michele Cea Award's mission is to give visibility to emerging young artists and provide them with financial support. Since its inception, hundreds of artists have participated in the contest with works of painting, graphic design, sculpture, photography, video art, and more. This result recognizes the commitment of the Michele Cea ETS Foundation, established by Lina Bavaro and Nicola Cea in memory of their only son, Michele, an artist who passed away prematurely in 2015 at the age of 27. Since then, in memory of their son, Lina and Nicola have cared for many young artists, through the Foundation's activities and the establishment of the Michele Cea Award, helping them not to give up and to continue believing in their dreams and their talent.
“In memory of our son Michele, no longer able to help him in his artistic vocation, we decided to create a foundation whose primary goal was to be fully at the service of young people who want to make their way in the art world, supporting them, including financially, through publications, exhibitions, scholarships and an annual competition, the Michele Cea Prize, in which all Italian and foreign artists up to the age of 40 are eligible to participate. The next call for applications will open in early 2024, but young people interested in participating can already contact us through our website or our social media channels,” explain Nicola Cea and Lina Bavaro, respectively President and Vice President of the Michele Cea ETS Foundation.
Upcoming events of With Light in Their Eyes
The event will continue until September 17th. Here are the next events:
Thursday, September 14 (7:00 PM). Screening of the short film " Let's Cut It Short: Crumbs Are Not Enough for Us" about the Barona neighborhood (Milan). The film, produced in collaboration with the Arteka Association, features Rebecca, who is forced to move to Barona. She knows only the neighborhood's fame, but an encounter will change her perspective. The short film features the special guest Luca Abbrescia.
Friday, September 15 (7:00 PM). Literary evening hosted by Annalisa Cantù with speakers from Arianna Montanari, author of Parole Nascoste (Mondadori Publishers); Sergio Camellini, author of Opera Omnia (Miano Editore); Attilio De Pascalis, author of Longevità Fatale (Mind Editions); and Anna Maria Zoppi, author of Non ne conosce niente (Basilisco Publishers).
Saturday, September 16 (7:00 PM). Photography exhibition " With the Eyes of Masa" by Daniele Di Stefano. Emanuele Cortellezzi talks with the photographer.
Sunday, September 17 (7:00 PM). Finissage: last day of the exhibition.
Below is the complete program of the With the light in their eyes event.
Award photo credits: Photographs by Roberto Biavaschi.
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