Elena Mazzi Wins 17th Ermanno Casoli Prize with Communication-Focused Installation

The 17th edition of the Premio Ermanno Casoli, a major Italian award celebrating the intersection of contemporary art and business, was awarded to Elena Mazzi (born 1984, Reggio Emilia) for her project "Mass age, message, mess age (Elica 2018)." The prize is promoted by Elica, a world-leading manufacturer of designer range hoods, and was held at its headquarters in Fabriano. Curated by Marcello Smarrelli, Mazzi's winning project involved a workshop in June 2018 with Elica employees, who played a game of "telephone" to explore communication. Managerial language was distorted by environmental and psychological variables, prompting reflection on collective work. The resulting installation features a mural of corrupted and reinterpreted words from the game, plus two aluminum sculptures made from materials used in the workshop. For Mazzi, who often investigates human-environment interaction, the project marked a foray into sculpture. The award confirms her contribution to contemporary Italian art research.