PIPA Prize

Partial view of PIPA Prize 2017 exhibition at MAM-Rio. In the foreground is an installation by Carla Guagliardi, and in the background, a painting by Eder Oliveira. Photo by Thaysa Paulo

ABOUT PIPA

The PIPA Prize was the first initiative of the PIPA Institute, which coordinates and sponsors the Prize without tax benefits. The history of the Prize and the Institute are blended, but the Institute has been carrying out other actions in parallel.

MISSION

To promote Brazilian art and artists; encourage domestic production of contemporary art; motivate, support and award emerging artists. It is also meant to be an alternative blueprint for the third sector.

HISTORIC

The PIPA Prize held its first edition in 2010.

From 2010 to 2018, it maintained a partnership with the Museum of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro (MAM-Rio), contributing to the institution’s collection of contemporary art. Each finalists of the first nine editions donated an artwork to the museum. In total 36 new works by artists such as Renata Lucas, Marcius Galan, Cinthia Marcele, Berna Reale, Tatiana Blass, Arjan Martins, Barbara Wagner and others where added to the museum’s collection.

In 2019, the PIPA Prize held its exhibition at Villa Aymoré, with a record attendance at the opening, with more than 700 people present.
In 2020, the show would be held at Paço Imperial, but due to the Covid-19 pandemic it did not happen. The 4 finalists did a “Takeover” on the Prize’s websites and social networks. For the first time, the 4 finalists were announced winners of the Prize.
In 2021, the Prize changed its format and no longer has winners, but five Shortlisted Artists, which, in this 12th edition, were Castiel Vitorino, Denilson Baniwa, Ilê Sartuzi, Marcela Bonfim and Ventura Profana. As decided in 2020, in the edition of 2021 there wasn’t a competitive exhibition, but a Virtual Takeover.

The PIPA Prize has a popular sub-category, the PIPA Online. All artists participating in each edition can participate in an online voting. This category helps to promote specially artists who are not represented by galleries and who live outside the main cities.

For more information visit www.pipaprize.com