International Talent Support

INTERNATIONAL TALENT SUPPORT 2016

ITS Artwork is a major contest category at International Talent Support (ITS), a visionary showcase for young designers. Based in Trieste, Italy, ITS invites emerging designer talent from around the world to compete in four areas: fashion, jewelry, accessories and artwork.

Swiss watchmaker Swatch created, in partnership with ITS, the ITS Artwork category, which focuses on pure artistic creativity. Ten finalists selected earlier this year were challenged by Swatch to make a work of art expressing their personal vision of artistic utopia, and to make use in their work of colorful Swatch components such as watch heads, straps, buckles, and dials.

Part fashion show, spontaneous performance and thrilling awards ceremony, this year's finale in Trieste was filled with excitement and creative vibes as the young designers presented their work and waited, nerves on edge, for the announcement of the winners. A vibrant live audience of international media, VIPs and prominent players in the creative arts gave enthusiastic applause to work that was unexpected, light-hearted and brilliant by turns. Carlo Giordanetti, Creative Director Swatch International, announced the winners.

SWATCH AND THE ITS ARTWORK CATEGORY

Swatch, one of the main partners of ITS 2016, has named 10 remarkable young designers as finalists for this year’s ITS ARTWORK category with two significant prizes to win.

Click here to discover the finalists.

ITS ARTWORK JURY

The jury for ITS ARTWORK 2016 is comprised of an eclectic group of creative professionals: joining Carlo Giordanetti and Barbara Franchin will be Mats Nilsson, Art Director with IKEA, Sweden; Alessandra Laudati, an architect and freelance writer from Italy; Michele Ciavarella, fashion editor of the Style Magazine Corriere della Sera; and Nicola Bonaventura, Creative Director at Safilo, the Italian maker of designer eyewear. 

ITS ARTWORK Award 2016

Marco Baitella

The winner of the ITS Artwork Award 2016 is Marco Baitella, from Italy. He receives €10,000 and the opportunity to exhibit a special project at ITS 2017.

SWATCH AWARD 2016

Jana Zornik

The winner of the Swatch Award is Jana Zornik, from Slovenia. She receives €10,000 and a 6-month paid internship at the Swatch Creative Lab in Zurich, Switzerland.

Special Prize

Hazuki Katagai

Swatch awarded an unexpected third prize: Japanese artist Hazuki Katagai won a three-month art residency at the Swatch Art Peace Hotel in Shanghai.