The presence of man on Earth is intended to leave a mark. It is in this vision, conceived by the creator and artistic director Emanuele Cappelli, that RUFA Contest 2019, in the exceptional setting of the Brancaccio Theatre, was celebrated, allowing the triumph of the Divine Aesthetics, the main theme of the event.
The aim of the event is clear and consolidated: to raise the concepts of modernity, art and research. A “mood” confirmed by the protagonists who have characterized the project in the four editions that have followed until now, providing skills and a sense of wonder, declining teaching and planning: Stefan Sagmeister in 2015, Karim Rashid in 2016, Francis Kéré in 2017, Shirin Neshat in 2018. David LaChapelle, symbol of an era, of an entire social system, ideally took the witness into his hands. A visionary supporter of tradition, he still develops and prints his photographic works with analogical methods, to continue to consider each shot as a true work of art. Able, like few others, to make the irony and surrealism typical of North American visual culture act interactively: celebrities, nudes, colors, fabrics, follies, excesses, dreamlike compositions, extravagances, luxury, immortality of bodies and faces. All registers generated by a strong stylistic personality.
The students of the Rome University of Fine Arts have proposed Twenty-five projects to the attention of the iconic master of the image: ICON (Aurora Achille), Convergenze (Francesca Ansanelli), Guiding Night (Laura Arcangeli), Narciso (Aurora Augenti), Sympatheia (Caterina Baldari), SE(E)NSE OF BEAUTY (Benedetta Barone, Arianna Calistri), The line – What remains (Silvia Bottero, Laura Capriglia), Empatia (Cristina Cannistraci), Paradigma (Valeria Cappabianca), Bellezza Contemporanea (Lorenzo Cappella), LONE ORANGE: LA DEVIANZA DI MARTE (Francesca Cornacchini), Sen5e (Carmine De Vita, Antonio Reda, Bogdan Melinte, Edoardo Filippone, Giorgia Pelagalli), Nec aut verbis exiprimere (Anna Di Rocco), EX_STASIS (Francesco Floris, Ludovica Testa), Particula (Daniela Gentile, Emanuela Mottola), Rinascente (Filippo Gualazzi, Matteo D’Andrea), Gurgone Lab (Camilla Gurgone), One second of eternity (Alessio Hong, Daniele Pellecchia, Flavia Daniele), Cheng (Yunfeng Liu), Così è la vita (Amedeo Longo), IMPATTO (Elena Orezzi, Vanessa Avato), Only (Francesco Politano), Life (Flavia Softa), Elusive (Claudia Spada), Breathe (Michal Zemel).
In the masterclass, which took place in a building that is a symbol of Roman culture, such as RUFA Pastificio Cerere in the heart of the San Lorenzo district, the twenty-five concepts admitted to the final of the contest were the subject of discussion and debate, in order to build a transversal thought, to mix and contaminate the inner world with the outer one. The proposed works will be open to the public until June 11, the day on which the finissage will take place, so as to facilitate contact with the research and artistic production put in place by the students. Three areas are involved: Spazio Cerere (via degli Ausoni, 3), Ex Vetreria and Rufa Space (via degli Ausoni, 7).
The RUFA Contest is a competition, one wins, all wins.
– First classified RUFA CONTEST 2019:CHENG – YUNFENG LIU
– RAI CINEMA Special Award: One second of eternity – Alessio Hong, Daniele Pellecchia e Flavia Daniele
– MTV Special Award:EX-STATIS – Francesco Floris e Ludovica Testa
– SKY ARTE Special Award:Gurgone Lab – Camilla Gurgone
– EXIBART Special Award:Elusive – Claudia Spada
– CONTRASTO Special Award:Breathe – Michal Zemel
– EMIRATES Special Award:Cheng – Yunfeng Liu
– Special mention by the Jury:Gurgone Lab – Camilla Gurgone
