Personal Structures closes its seventh edition and the ECC Awards are announced
The Closing Ceremony will be followed by the announcement of the prestigious ECC Awards
After seven months of showcasing inspiring contemporary artworks, Personal Structures - Beyond Boundaries will come to a close on Sunday, 24 November 2024. The European Cultural Centre will host the Closing Ceremony of the seventh edition of its biennial art exhibition at Palazzo Bembo in Venice, starting at 11:00. During this special event, the ECC Awards will be presented, honouring outstanding works featured in this year's group show.
The ECC Awards are distinguished recognitions that are given every year to projects showcased in the ECC’s art and architecture exhibitions that truly stand out. Since 2010 artists, architects, designers, and academics have been awarded by the European Cultural Centre, receiving great acknowledgement and a unique limited edition artwork by Dutch artist René Rietmeyer, founder of the European Cultural Centre itself. All participants of Personal Structures 2024 are automatically eligible for consideration, providing an exciting opportunity for wider recognition in their respective fields.
A group of esteemed industry experts will carefully select the winners of the ECC Awards 2024, celebrating excellence for the categories of Painting & Mixed Media, Sculpture & Installation, Video & Digital Art, Photography, and University & Research Projects. The five winning projects are chosen among an array of works that have been previously shortlisted by the ECC Team.
This year the jury is composed of five professionals working in the arts including Amit Gupta, Founder & Editor in Chief at STIRworld; Steve Bisson, Head of the Photography Department at Paris College of Art, Founder of Penisola Edizioni, and Editor-in-Chief at Urbanautica; Alexandra Laqueur, Managing Director and Maria Nek, Co-founder of the European Cultural Academy; and Saskia Fernando, Founder & Director of Saskia Fernando Gallery and Art Space.
Please RSVP by following this link.
For more detailed information and resources, consult the Press Kit.
Jury Members
Amit Gupta
Founder & Editor in Chief at STIRworld
Amit Gupta is the founder and Editor in Chief of STIR – an award-winning global media house and curatorial agency that is committed to promoting, propagating and fostering creativity and innovation in the fields of design, architecture, and art. A creative thinker, curator and entrepreneur, Amit has worked for over three decades with a motivation to facilitate intersections across diverse creative disciplines and distant geographies while launching pioneering initiatives that propel the creative discourse, practice, and allied industries. Starting with a career in advertising, Amit soon moved on to set up India’s first architecture and design gallery in the late 1990s. Progressively, STIR was founded in 2014 and is the only global media house in the field emanating from the region.
Steve Bisson
Head of the Photography Department at Paris College of Art, Founder of Penisola Edizioni, and Editor-in-Chief at Urbanautica
Steve Bisson is a distinguished professional in the field of photography and visual arts, known for his extensive work as a curator, publisher, and educator. He is recognised for his ability to merge theoretical and practical expertise, as well as for his dedication to promoting visual culture on an international scale. Bisson is currently the Head of the Photography Department at Paris College of Art, Founder of the publishing house Penisola Edizioni, and Editor in Chief of Urbanautica Journal of Visual Anthropology and Cultural Landscapes.
Alexandra Laqueur
Director of the European Cultural Academy
Alexandra Laqueur is currently Director at the European Cultural Academy, Venice, where she focuses on enhancing educational programmes and fostering collaboration between artists and institutions. With strong expertise in building partnerships and promoting cultural exchange, she has developed global connections to support the arts. Prior to her role at the Academy, Alexandra worked at Elsevier, where she developed partnerships that enriched cultural initiatives. She studied at the Free University in Brussels and Columbia University in New York. Her extensive experience and dedication to the arts greatly contribute to her work in the field.
Maria Nekrasova
Co-founder of the European Cultural Academy
Maria Nekrasova is the Managing Director and the Chairwoman of the Executive Board at the University of Applied Sciences Amsterdam. She is the co-founder of the European Cultural Academy, mentor for artists and creative entrepreneurs at SoHo House and the Start Out Accelerator. Maria brings her perspective based on more than a decade of experience in art, culture and education.
Saskia Fernando
Founder & Director of Saskia Fernando Gallery and Art Space
Saskia Fernando is a gallerist and patron who has significantly influenced the development of the local art scene by creating opportunities for both emerging and established Sri Lanka artists to reach a broader audience. As the Director of the Saskia Fernando Gallery and the Paradise Road Group of Companies, she is a representative of the art and craft sectors of Sri Lanka. Saskia's passion for contemporary art has played a crucial role in placing Sri Lankan art on the global map while nurturing appreciation for the country's rich artistic traditions. Saskia leads the Udayshanth and Angelika Fernando Foundation, which supports young artists and funds charitable initiatives in Sri Lanka. In 2024, she founded KALĀ, a vibrant platform aimed at promoting modern and contemporary South Asian art, both locally and within the diaspora. Her work showcases a deep commitment to enriching the cultural dialogue and fostering artistic growth in the region.
