Pablo Helguera

During the ArteFiera Bologna-Bologna's Art Fair-members of the jury presented Pablo Helguera with the International Award for Participatory Art, a recognition given for the first time. The winner of the award was announced by an international jury that included Julia Draganovic, the event's curator; Rudolf Frieling, curator of media arts at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Alfredo Jaar, one of the most influential artists in the contemporary international art scene; Bert Theis, artist, curator, and cofounder of OUT (Office for Urban Transformation) and of the Centro de Arte Isola, in Milan; and Luigi Benedetti, General Director of the Legislative Assembly of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Rudolf Frieling described the winning project as very inclusive and an opportunity for an intense dialogue with the community. The project involves the general public, public institutions, and also those working in the contemporary art field. It relies on new technologies and, therefore, it belongs to the past and the future. It goes beyond the definition of social change and pushed boundaries, as it demonstrates a true commitment to the community.