An important recognition for the RUFA community: lecturer Silvia Giambrone is the winner of the BPER Prize as part of Arte Fiera 2026, one of the leading events dedicated to modern and contemporary art in Italy.
The prize, dedicated to the promotion of themes related to women’s issues, was unanimously awarded to the work Mirror n.18 (2022) – wax, brass, acacia thorns, 95 × 57 × 13 cm – presented by Richard Saltoun Gallery, the gallery that represents the artist in London, Rome and New York.
The work will become part of the La Galleria BPER collection and will be displayed in the exhibition spaces of the BPER Group.
The jury’s statement
The jury – composed of Sabrina Bianchi (Head of Brand & Marketing Communication – Cultural Heritage and Corporate Collection La Galleria BPER), Lara Conte (Professor of Contemporary Art History at Roma Tre University) and Daniela Ferrari (Art historian and museum curator) – issued the following statement:
“For the third BPER Prize, the jury unanimously selected the work ‘Mirror n.18’ (2022) by Silvia Giambrone, presented by Richard Saltoun Gallery. For years, Giambrone has pursued a courageous and determined research practice focused on the complex relationships between body, violence, power, subjectivity and self-determination. Her poetics, aimed at bringing to light the latent values and behaviours that fall short of respect, are expressed through multiple languages, both refined and direct, capable of striking the public and conveying a reflection on inclusion, the enhancement of gender differences, and the social question from a female perspective — all themes consistent with the principles promoted by the BPER Prize.”
A recognition within the context of Arte Fiera 49.
The BPER Prize forms part of the seven awards presented during the 49th edition of Arte Fiera, testifying to the vitality of the Italian contemporary art system and to the role of institutions and private partners in supporting research, production and acquisitions.
The 2026 edition also introduced the new Fondo Arte Fiera, an acquisition fund worth €100,000 promoted by BolognaFiere and Cosmoprof, further strengthening concrete support for artists and galleries participating in the fair.
Silvia Giambrone’s research
Born in Agrigento in 1981, Silvia Giambrone lives and works between Rome and London. Her practice spans performance, installation, sculpture, video and sound, investigating the underlying forms of subjugation and the dynamics of power that affect the body and subjectivity.
Throughout her career she has participated in numerous exhibitions in Italy and abroad, including:
W Women in Italian Design, Triennale di Milano (2016)
Time is out of Joint, La Galleria Nazionale, Rome (2017)
Nobody’s Room. Anzi, parla, Museo del Novecento, Milan (2020)
Reclaiming and Making: Art, Desire, Violence, Museum of Sex, New York (2022)
Sexually Explicit Content, PAC Padiglione d’Arte Contemporanea, Milan (2023)
She works with Richard Saltoun Gallery (London and Rome), Prometeo Gallery (Milan) and Stefania Miscetti Studio (Rome).
This achievement represents a source of pride for RUFA and confirms the value of an artistic research practice that, with rigour and determination, addresses central themes in contemporary debate, making a significant contribution to cultural and social reflection through art.
