Key points
20th Anniversary of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women
Special exhibition at Palazzo Strozzi , Florence ( Time for Women! )
Works by laureates such as Helen Cammock , Emma Hart , Andrea Büttner
The Max Mara Art Prize for Women celebrates its 20th anniversary this year with a unique exhibition at the Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, entitled Time for Women !. The prize, born in 2005 from a partnership between the Italian fashion house Max Mara and the Whitechapel Gallery in London, has established itself as an essential springboard for emerging women artists.
Conceived as a concrete response to gender inequality in the art world, the prize offers much more than simple recognition: it offers a six-month residency in Italy, tailored to each winner. This time of research and creation has allowed many artists, such as Emma Hart, Helen Cammock, and Andrea Büttner, to develop ambitious projects that have gone on to garner international recognition—notably at the Venice Biennale and the Turner Prize.
The Florentine exhibition highlights these trajectories with immersive installations and multimedia works that interact with the palace's Renaissance architecture. From hanging dyed silk to digital frescoes, virtual reality, and hand-painted scrolls, the artists boldly and poetically inhabit the space.
Beyond the exhibition, the Max Mara Art Prize embodies a new way of supporting female creativity: residencies, international tours, museum acquisitions, and educational initiatives like One Word a Week form a veritable infrastructure for equality.
Through this jubilee, a whole model of committed patronage is asserted: an art of the present which actively prepares for the future.
FAQ
What is the Max Mara Art Prize for Women?
A biennial award launched in 2005 to support emerging female artists in the UK.
How does it stand out?
It offers a six-month residency in Italy and promotes long-term artistic development, beyond classical recognition.
Where is the anniversary exhibition taking place?
At Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, with immersive and multimedia installations.
Who are the artists featured?
Winners from the past 20 years including Francesca Mollett , Zadie Xa , Emma Talbot , Hetain Patel , among others.
Nicolas Sarazin