Examination of the 707 applications received for the SUPERBLAST competition is complete. Manifattura Tabacchi’s call to arts to promote independent artists and experimental interdisciplinary means of expression within an industrial setting garnered interest from the world over, projects were submitted from 48 different countries by 567 individual artists and 140 artist collectives. 

After a lengthy period in which each application was thoroughly studied, 6 winners of the international SUPERBLAST competition were selected by the following jury members: Mario Cristiani, co founder of the Associazione Arte Continua and Galleria Continua; Stefano Mancuso, director of LINV and PNAT founder; Erica Petrillo, researcher, curator and 2050+ member; Lucia Pietroiusti, curator of General Ecology at Serpentine Galleries; and Caterina Taurelli Salimbeni, curator of NAM – Not a Museum.

On 28 April the names of the winning artists will be announced on Manifattura Tabacchi and NAM – Not A Museum’s social media platforms. Starting in May 2021, the selected artists will begin their residency at Manifattura Tabacchi during which they will explore the pertinent themes of our times — such as nature and culture, humans and other living beings, the individual and the collective — through personal artistic research and the spaces of the ex-factory. 

The artists will have the opportunity to take part in the change and the interdisciplinary vision that Manifattura Tabacchi has always promoted as one of its core values. They will experiment with hybrid languages that are in dialogue with this industrial setting with the goal of developing site-specific works during their stay. The six works will be displayed in a group exhibition at Manifattura Tabacchi in September that will be accompanied by a printed catalogue. 

Many thanks to all those who participated in the competition and dedicated their time and energy to the SUPERBLAST project. All participants have been informed of the results of the final selection via email on this day, 21 April 2021.

We look forward to seeing you all as soon as possible here at Manifattura Tabacchi!