20 Years of Max Mara Art Prize for Women Celebrated in Florence

A Pioneering Award Empowering Women in Contemporary Art

In the refined setting of Florence’s Palazzo Strozzi, the gallery spaces of the Strozzina are hosting a landmark exhibition celebrating two decades of the Max Mara art Prize for Women. Titled “Time for Women” , this showcase brings together the artworks of past winners of a pioneering award that has redefined opportunities for female artists, encouraging an intimate and politically engaged approach to contemporary art.

Launched in 2005, the Max Mara Art Prize for Women was conceived at a time when gender imbalance in the art world was stark. Women were underrepresented in galleries, international fairs, and museum exhibitions, and their market share was negligible. The prize, created by the Italian fashion house Max Mara in collaboration with the Whitechapel Gallery in London, aimed to challenge this narrative and create a meaningful platform for emerging women artists in the UK.

A Residency That Goes Beyond Recognition

What set this prize apart from the beginning was its format. Rather than offering a cash reward, the Max Mara Art Prize gives its winners a six-month residency in Italy. This immersive experience enables artists to engage deeply with Italian culture, landscape, and history, often leading to the creation of original artworks that bridge their own artistic roots with the rich traditions of Italian art.

This innovative structure functions as a kind of contemporary Grand Tour, offering more than just inspiration—it provides space for reflection, research, and the development of entirely new bodies of work. Over the past 20 years, the prize has helped launch the careers of several now-prominent artists, while also showcasing the transformative power of cultural exchange.

An All-Female Jury Representing the Art Ecosystem

The selection process itself reflects the ethos of the prize. A jury composed entirely of women—curators, critics, gallery directors, collectors, and fellow artists—ensures a diversity of perspectives. Chaired by the renowned Iwona Blazwick, former director of the Whitechapel Gallery, the jury selects artists who are not yet represented by major galleries but show outstanding potential and originality.

This thoughtful approach ensures that the Max Mara Art Prize remains not only a platform for recognition but also a support system that nurtures creative growth in an inclusive and empowering way.

A Kaleidoscope of Artistic Visions

The current exhibition, Time for Women, presents a dynamic range of artworks by past winners including Laure Prouvost, Corin Sworn, Andrea Büttner, Helen Cammock, Margaret Salmon, Dominique White, Hanna Rickards, Emma Talbot, and Emma Hart. Each of these artists brings a unique vision shaped by their time in Italy.

For example, Margaret Salmon, the first winner of the prize, produced “Ninna nanna fiorentina”, a triple-screen video installation portraying young mothers in Florence. Her work echoes both the aesthetics of Italian neorealism and the spiritual resonance of Renaissance depictions of the Madonna and Child, blending contemporary social commentary with historical references.

Andrea Büttner was inspired by the simplicity and spiritual discipline of Umbrian monastic communities. Her artworks explore themes of poverty, renunciation, and essentialism, connecting religious symbolism with the legacy of Arte Povera.

By contrast, Laure Prouvost embraced the sensual pleasures of the Italian experience—sunlight, food, water, nature—in a lush, multisensory installation. Although the Florence exhibition only features the video component of her original project, its immersive quality still offers a profound insight into her creative response to Italy’s sensory richness.

Emma Talbot, another standout winner, created a series of vivid drawings based on Gustav Klimt’s The Three Ages of Woman, housed in the Galleria Nazionale in Rome. Her artworks explore aging, feminine strength, and nature’s cycles, using deeply personal imagery to convey universal themes.

A Powerful Celebration with Spatial Constraints

Although the gallery space at the Strozzina, located beneath the Renaissance grandeur of Palazzo Strozzi, might seem limited for such a comprehensive project, the exhibition successfully highlights the rich legacy of the Max Mara Art Prize for Women. The timing of this retrospective, which coincides with a solo exhibition by Tracey Emin—a pioneer among the Young British Artists—creates a compelling dialogue between generations of women redefining the art world.

Emin’s unapologetically autobiographical work echoes the same radical honesty seen in many of the prize-winning artworks on display. Together, they underscore the growing presence and influence of women artists in shaping contemporary visual culture.

A Legacy Documented in Print

The accompanying catalog, published by Marsilio, is more than a souvenir—it’s an essential document capturing the depth and evolution of the prize. Including interviews, in-progress project documentation, and critical essays, the catalog offers insight into how these artists have examined everything from urban and rural environments to gender identity, tradition, activism, and transformation.

As writer and curator Mariuccia Casadio notes in the introduction, these artworks offer a layered narrative of the intersection between art and reality across the last two decades.

Looking Ahead

Over the last 20 years, the Max Farina Art Prize for Women has not only recognized exceptional artists, it has shifted the landscape of contemporary art. By offering time, space, and support, it has allowed women to explore their voices through innovative, thoughtful, and provocative artworks.

As this exhibition reminds us, there is still work to be done to achieve full gender parity in the art world. However, thanks to platforms like this, more and more galleries and institutions are recognizing the value of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, with every new edition of the prize, a new chapter in the story of women in art begins.