Finalists’ Exhibition 
Mestre Painting Prize 2023

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Mestre, Centro Culturale Candiani
From 16 September to 15 October, 2023
Third floor exhibition rooms

Friday, 6 October 2023, h. 20.00
Awarding Ceremony at Teatro Toniolo, Mestre

From 16 September to 15 October 2023, the Centro Culturale Candiani in Mestre hosts the collective exhibition of Premio Mestre di Pittura 2023, organized by Il Circolo Veneto and Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, under the patronage of Regione del Veneto, Città Metropolitana di Venezia and Comune di Venezia, with the collaboration of Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia and Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa. The exhibition will display the finalist works, selected by the prize jury.

The Premio Mestre di Pittura was inaugurated in distant 1958, based on the farsighted proposal by artist Andreina Crepet Guazzo, who since the early 1950s had advocated the cultural revival of the mainland in conjunction with the economic revival that took place in those years. After ten successful editions that included some of the most famous names of the day in the Veneto and beyond, the prize was abandoned in 1968. After over half a century of oblivion, it was successfully reinstated in 2017, due to the efforts and enthusiasm of the members of Circolo Veneto, and since 2018 it has been organised in collaboration with Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, a partner in selecting the artworks, organising the exhibition and preparing the catalogue.

The link between the Premio Mestre di Pittura and the Musei Civici has been evident from the earliest editions, in that the prizewinning work enters the Venice Municipal collections at the Galleria Internazionale d’Arte Moderna di Ca’ Pesaro.

The award is the result of collaboration between Venice Municipality and important Venetian cultural institutions, such as the Accademia di Belle Arti and Fondazione Bevilacqua La Masa; it also receives support from a large group of generous patrons and private sponsors. The aim is to promote contemporary pictorial art, and the seventh edition of the revived Premio Mestre di Pittura in 2023 is open to all, with no restrictions on age, gender, nationality or subject matter.

The Mestre prize jury is composed of illustrious art historians and professionals from the cultural sector. Previous presidents of the jury have included Stefano Zecchi, Philippe Daverio and Gianfranco Maraniello.

Since 2021, a Lifetime Achievement Award pays tribute each year to an artist who has distinguished themself over the course of their long career, not only in terms of artistic merit, but also based on links established with the region. In 2021 the award went to Ennio Finzi and in 2022 to Giorgio Di Venere. In 2023 the organising committee will select the winning artist.

In addition to the numerous initiatives connected with the Premio Mestre di Pittura and its long tradition, 2022 also saw the inclusion of a memorial route to commemorate past winners, beginning from 1958 with Maestro Ernani Costantini.

Venue

Centro Culturale Candiani
Piazzale Candiani, 7
30174 Venezia Mestre

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Opening hours

Until 15 October, 2023
Tuesday to Sunday
16.00-20.00
Closed Mondays

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Admission free