Cecilia Alemani Leads Max Mara Art Prize for Women in New Global Itinerant Format

The Max Mara Art Prize for Women, established in 2005 and promoted by Max Mara and Collezione Maramotti, has evolved into an itinerant award that changes host country each edition. Cecilia Alemani, Director and Chief Curator of High Line Art in New York, will serve as curator and jury president, selecting the partner country and institution per edition. For the tenth edition (2025–2027), the partner is Museum MACAN in Jakarta, Indonesia's first contemporary art museum. The jury includes Venus Lau (MACAN director), curator Amanda Ariawan, gallerist Megan Arlin, collector Evelyn Halim, and artist Melati Suryodarmo. This marks the end of a two-decade collaboration with Whitechapel Gallery in London. Alemani described the prize as a tool for cultural diplomacy and international dialogue, emphasizing that artistic innovation is no longer a Western monopoly. The prize culminates in a six-month residency in Italy, offering selected artists a research laboratory to merge their practice with Italian tradition. The initiative aims to build lasting connections and redefine the contemporary art ecosystem.