Fatma Bucak and Antonio Fiorentino Win Premio New York 2019

The 16th edition of Premio New York, a residency and exhibition prize for young Italian artists, has awarded Fatma Bucak and Antonio Fiorentino. The winners spend six months in New York at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP), culminating in an exhibition at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura on Park Avenue from June 20 to July 3, 2019. The prize is promoted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Istituto Italiano di Cultura di New York, and Italian Academy at Columbia University. Outgoing director Giorgio van Straten noted that the age limit was lowered from 40 to 35 to support emerging artists. Bucak, of Turkish origin and based in Turin, presents three videos of her sanding a wooden beam and translucent panels made from sawdust and glue, reflecting on urban transformation and identity. Fiorentino's work includes a video and objects from Kiribati, the first island to see the new day, and American deserts like Death Valley and Petrified Forest, exploring time, nature, and future landscapes. The exhibition was curated by Isin Önol. A collective show of past winners is planned for autumn at the Istituto.