Milan, 14 September 2024.The winner of the ninth edition of the Michele Cea Award, aimed at young emerging Italian and foreign artists and established by the Michele Cea ETS Foundation, was Fabiola Porchi, 33, from Bergamo, author of the plaster bas-relief Predestinazione, for having highlighted the atrocities of intensive farming (the full text of the motivation and the profiles of the three winners are attached to the email). Second and third place, respectively: Sofia Fresia, 32, born in Genoa, awarded for her oil on canvas “Li Cossi” and Camilla Capitanio, 25, from Brescia, author of the charcoal on paper, La luce negli occhi.
Porchi Fabiola (born in Bergamo in 1991)
Work: Predestination
Type: Plaster bas-relief
She graduated with honors in Painting and Visual Languages from the Aldo Galli Academy – IED network – in Como. In 2024, she exhibited in the group show "Sotto lo stesso albero" curated by RAVE East Village Artist Residency at RAVE East Village Artist Residency in Udine. In 2024, she exhibited in the group show "Re-imagining the Future" curated by Ivan Quaroni at the ADI Museum in Milan. In 2023, she was selected for the 2023 National Arts Award – 17th edition for the painting section with the work "Monsters of a Painless Society," exhibiting at the Palazzo del Medico in Carrara. In 2023, she participated in the group show "ABECEDARIO" with the Artra gallery in Milan, curated by Roberto Borghi at Associazione 21 in Lodi.
Fresia Sofia (Genoa, 1992)
Work: Li Cossi
Type: oil on canvas
She lives and works between the upper Bormida Valley and Turin, where she attended the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts. In 2019, she completed an Erasmus+ exchange program at the École Supérieure d'Art in Grenoble; in 2021, she presented her master's thesis project, "Surrealtà. Il presente inaspettato," which focused on the social changes resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. She has participated in several residencies—including Via Farini, Casa Walser, ALA, and Paratissima—and won art prizes (Arte Laguna, Combat, Candiani, Nocivelli, and others), and has collaborated with companies and museums.
Captain Camilla (Brescia, 1999)
The light in the eyes
Type: Charcoal on paper
After studying at the Luca Marenzio Conservatory in Brescia, she decided to devote herself to drawing and painting. In 2024, she won a scholarship to the Florence Academy of Art. She currently attends the Milan Academy of Art. For her, drawing and painting mean exploring the other. She considers the great 19th-century painters her masters.
Fabiola Porchi, Sofia Fresia and Camilla Capitanio were selected from among the 140 Italian and foreign artists who submitted works of painting, graphics, sculpture, photography and video art to the jury chaired by Lina Bavaro (Vice President of the Michele Cea ETS Foundation and professor of literature) and by the members of the Foundation's Scientific-Artistic Board: Giuseppe Bellantonio (freelance journalist and art expert), Michele Franco (artistic director, presenter and actor, Turin head of the Association "L'Officina culturale di Chivasso"), Nuccio Mula (journalist and critic, former professor of Phenomenology of Contemporary Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts "Michelangelo" in Agrigento), Lucia Rosa Pastore art historian who works at the Pinacoteca Metropolitana "Corrado Giaquinto" in Bari, Massimiliano Porro (professor of History of Art at the Academy of Fine Arts "Aldo Galli" - IED in Como), Cristiano Rocchio (professor of philosophy and scholar of ancient rhetoric), Enzo Varricchio (publicist journalist, cassation lawyer, expert in copyright and cultural heritage), Gaetano Centrone (professor of History of Art, Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin), Gianluca Veneziani (journalist).
The three winners were awarded on Saturday 14 September during the opening evening of the free event With the light in their eyes, taking place in Milan until 22 September at the “Ex Fornace” space, Alzaia Naviglio Pavese, 16. The event, which brings together figurative arts, literature, theatre and photography, is organised by the Michele Cea ETS Foundation, a non-profit organisation established in memory of the artist Michele Cea, who passed away prematurely at the age of 27, with the support of the Cariplo Foundation, Covivio, Anteprima design, WellSee and Mayestus. The event is sponsored by: Municipality of Milan – District 6; Metropolitan City of Bari; Brera Art School; Academy of Fine Arts of Agrigento; Regional Association of Puglia; House of Artists; GAL Nuovo Fiori D'Ulivo and the Municipalities of Bitonto, Binetto, Giovinazzo, Grumo Appula, Modugno, Palo and Terlizzi.
Prizes. First place, artist Fabiola Porchi, was awarded €3,500, a glass sculpture by sculptor Germano Caiano based on work no. 50, titled La scala (The Staircase ), by Michele Cea; a solo and/or group exhibition; publication in the October 2024 issue of Arte (Cairo Editore), and a mention in the 2025 Modern Art Catalogue (CAM 61 – Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori). Second and third place—Sofia Fresia and Camilla Capitanio—were awarded €1,000 and €500, respectively, as well as a mention in the 2025 Modern Art Catalogue (CAM 61 – Editoriale Giorgio Mondadori).
Winners and finalists on display from September 14th to 22nd. All 12 finalist works, including the three contest winners, 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. The exhibition is open to the public free of charge during the following hours: daily 10:00-12:30 and 16:00-21:00. On Sundays and other events, the exhibition closes at 11:00 PM.
