ECC ART AWARDS

2022 European Cultural Centre - Italy Art Awards

	ECC-ITA Painting and Mixed Media Award: Galerie Myrtis The installation The Afro-Futurist Manifesto: Blackness Reimagined at Palazzo Mora is awarded for its interdisciplinary presentation which reflects on constructing a future focused on African Art and Afrofuturism's ideology. Galerie Myrtis explores in depth the notion of Blackness with using mixed media.
	ECC-ITA Sculpture and Installation Award: Jacques Jarrige Jacques Jarrige represented by Valerie Goodman Gallery in New York, is a french sculptor et designer. He is awarded for the elegant and precious research on materials and shapes. Jacques Jarrige combines his research with video by showing the process behind the artwork, which resulted in the sculpture The Idol at Palazzo Mora.
	ECC-ITA Photography Award: Alissa Everett The ECC-Italy Photography Award goes to Alissa Everett for the stunning beauty and the powerful stories in her installation Covering Beauty at Palazzo Bembo, stories she has captured through her lens while travelling in rough areas all over the world. Alissa has the capacity of documenting the truth, giving an answer to the increasing need for a meaningful and honest narrative.
	ECC-ITA Video and Digital Art Award: Helen Kirwan Helen Kirwan honoured Personal Structures with her project Grief- Work, a metaphorical journey into the themes of loss, memory and temporality through the mourning traditions of Ancient Greece and the Middle East mythology. Helen lead a reflection through her performances on cultural collective memory and how it is constantly nourished by rituals, practices and actions which shape the identity of each society.
	ECC-ITA Lifetime Achievement Award: Lawrence Weiner Lawrence Weiner is an American conceptual artist. In his works Weiner not only uses written words in English but in several other languages as well. Weiner especially explores the meaning of language and the way it can be used to communicate through written text. In additionally his art raises and answers questions about the concept of art itself.
	ECC-ITA University and Research Project Award: University of New Mexico together with Davidson College The project a Library, a Classroom, and the World by the University of New Mexico together with Davidson College was awarded for having created a project which represents a successful attempt of involving the city of Venice with its culture, traditions and territory. The University of New Mexico successfully integrated these notions to the field of ecology.

2019 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

ECC Art Award: Hermann Nitsch

Hermann Nitsch is an Austrian artist known for his visceral performance art practice, often based on the ritualistic practice of sacrifice. Nitsch’s outrageous works are referred to as Orgien Mysterien Theater and involve blood, animal entrails, and nudity. “I want my work to stir up the audience, the participants of my performances. I want to arouse them by the means of sensual intensity and to bring them an understanding of their existence,” the artist has said.

ECC Art School Award: Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam
"Tenderfeet Collective"
The Willem de Kooning Academy is a Dutch academy of media, art, design, leisure and education based in Rotterdam. It was named after one of its most famous alumni, Dutch fine artist Willem de Kooning.During the Venice Biennale 2019, the European Cultural Centre (ECC) has offered an exhibition space to graduating students at the Willem de Kooning Academy Rotterdam (WdKA) following the observation that art academies are underrepresented in this international showcase of contemporary art.
A Tenderfoot is unused to hardships; a novice, raw and inexperienced. Those who are named Tenderfoot are ridiculed for their sensitivity, having not yet developed the callus deemed necessary to tread this world unscathed. This project springs from the gaps between us, in an attempt to find harmony in dissonant voices, and above all in taking the risk to trust one another.This exhibition was a joined effort including: Kerem Akar, Josephine Baan, Eva Droogh, Ferize Durmush, Rolf Engelen, Clara Harmssen, Leomar Imperator, Is van Leest, Jabe Oost, Syree Palm, Anouschka Pessy, Falkona Rexhepi, Eline Schellekens, Nohely Simon, Lili Ullrich, Eady van Acker, Angelika Voitenko and Naomi de Wit.

2017 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

2017 ECC Art Award: Joseph Kosuth

In 2017 the ECC Award for Art was awarded to Joseph Kosuth (USA) for his lifelong dedication to create Meaning with contemporary art. Joseph Kosuth is an American conceptual artist. In his works Kosuth gives special prominence to language. Kosuth explores the semiotics, communication and meaning processes. His art generally strives to explore the nature of art rather than producing what is traditionally called "art".

2015 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

2015 ECC Art Award: Yoko Ono

In 2015 the ECC Award for Art was awarded to Yoko Ono (JPN) for her lifelong dedication to Peace.
She presented the project called "Imagine Piece" at the ECC as part of the exhibition "PERSONAL STRUCTURES" 2015.
The 2015 exhibition, Crossing Borders embraces a global togetherness—a shared concern about Time Space Existence, a dialogue that goes beyond cultural background, age, race, and sex. Yoko Ono says in an interview with us about her new work ACT PEACE, which was especially made for this exhibition, “All backgrounds are backgrounds for peace.” And: “The true emotion we have is love. Love will conquer all.”

2013 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

2013 ECC Art Award: Arnulf Rainer

In 2013 he presented a series of works called "Rainer - Klimt - Schiele" at the ECC Palazzo Bembo, within the exhibition "PERSONAL STRUCTURES". Arnulf Rainer is an Austrian painter noted for his abstract informal art. His works are shown in the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. As the culmination of the appraisal of his work, the Arnulf Rainer Museum opened in New York City in 1993. His works have also continuously been shown at the European Cultural Centre's palazzos in Venice during the Biennale since 2011.

2011 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

2011 ECC Art Award: Roman Opalka

ECC Art Award: Roman Opalka (France-Poland) for his life long depiction of "Time Passing"
Roman Opalka was a French-born Polish painter, whose works are mostly associated with conceptual art. Opałka participated in many of the art world’s most important international exhibitions, including Documenta in Kassel, Germany, in 1977; the Sao Paulo Bienal in 1987; and the Venice Biennale, in 1995, 2003, 2011 and 2013. He was represented in Paris and New York by Yvon Lambert, in Venice by Galleria Michela Rizzo and, for many years, at John Weber in New York. Opałka won the celebrated Grand Prize of the 7th International Biennial of Arts and Graphics of Cracow in 1969, the C. K. Norwid Art Critics Award in 1970, Franceʼs National Painting Prize in 1991 and Germanyʼs Kaiser Prize in 1993.

2010 European Cultural Centre Art Awards

2010 ECC Art Award: Heartbeat Sasaki

In 2011 he presented a performance and a series of works called "Heartbeat" at the ECC Palazzo Bembo, within the exhibition "PERSONAL STRUCTURES".
Sasaki is a Japanese conceptual artist who has drawn human`s heartbeat since 1995. By hearing people’s heartbeat sound of life, he drew red heartbeat waves corresponding to the sound. He thinks heartbeat is the origin of life and evidence of life. It is a bond that is shared among the entire beings. By sharing heartbeat drawing, he believes that we can share our life as connected existences.