Hugo Boss Prize Museum Space to Open in Milan's Galleria

Hugo Boss is set to open a contemporary art museum in Milan's prestigious Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, alongside a new restaurant by chef Carlo Cracco. The museum will showcase works from the Hugo Boss Prize, which the brand has sponsored since 1996. The first prize was awarded to Matthew Barney. The biennial prize includes $100,000 and a solo exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The 2016 winner will be announced in autumn, with shortlisted artists Tania Bruguera, Mark Leckey, Ralph Lemon, Laura Owens, Wael Shawky, and Anicka Yi. The Milan space may also involve the Hugo Boss Asia Art Award, launched in 2013 for emerging Asian artists. The project is part of a trend of fashion brands bringing contemporary art to Milan. Meanwhile, Cracco's restaurant replaces a former Mercedes space, with timing still uncertain. Priority is given to the Garage Italia project in Piazzale Accursio, developed with Lapo Elkann, which includes custom cars like the BMW i8 Futurism Edition inspired by Giacomo Balla's Lampada ad arco.