by Redazione 05/11/2026
Categories: Contemporary art / Disclaimer
The Marmo ETS Foundation, the Ponte di Ferro Association, Litix Spa, and the City of Carrara are promoting a project aimed at artists under 30. The winner will create a marble bust to be installed in a public space in the city. Applications are open until December 15, 2026.
Who deserves to be represented by a monument in contemporary public space? This is the question at the heart of *De viris et mulieribus illustribus* — a production and training residency for new skills in contemporary sculpture—a project aimed at artists under 30 and promoted by Fondazione Marmo ETS, Associazione Ponte di Ferro, Litix Spa, and the City of Carrara. The call for entries, open from October 5 to December 15, 2026, will select one artist who will be tasked with designing and creating a marble bust for a public space in the city. The selected artist will receive a prize of 1,800 euros.
Conceived by the Ponte di Ferro Association, the initiative is led by Fondazione Marmo ETS and carried out in collaboration with Litix Spa and the City of Carrara, under the patronage of the municipal administration in its capacity as a UNESCO Creative City. The project is part of the Fondazione Marmo’s “Eccellenze Apuane” program and the proposal submitted under the regional call for proposals “Toscanaincontemporanea2026.”
The core of the residency is the creation of a bust dedicated to a male or female figure—historical or contemporary—chosen by the artist for their ethical, civic, and cultural significance. The title draws on the tradition of the *vir illustris*, a Latin expression meaning “illustrious man,” extending its meaning to include female figures as well and reinterpreting it in light of the present. The selection of the subject thus becomes an opportunity to reflect on the role of sculpture and monuments in contemporary society and on the values that a community chooses to highlight through the works placed in its public spaces. Among the themes indicated in the call for proposals are freedom, knowledge, justice, human rights, inclusion, the environment, and civic responsibility.
The residency is tentatively scheduled to take place from January 15 to April 15, 2027, and will include several phases of work. The process will begin with clay modeling and the digital development of the project, continue with robotic milling of the marble at Litix Spa, and conclude with manual finishing in the Ponte di Ferro Association’s workshop. The artist will be supported by artistic and technical mentors. Marble, materials, processing methods, technologies, and safety equipment will be provided as part of the project.
Participation is open to individuals of any nationality, aged 18 to 29, who are enrolled at the Academy of Fine Arts in Carrara or who are artists active in the province of Massa-Carrara. To apply, candidates must submit an application form, a valid ID, an artistic resume, a portfolio consisting of three marble works, and a project proposal for the bust to be created.
Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on December 15, 2026, to the certified email address (PEC) pecfondazionemarmo@pec.it. The proposals will be reviewed by a committee appointed by the Fondazione Marmo ETS, composed of one representative nominated by the Ponte di Ferro Association, one nominated by Litix Spa, one member nominated by Finestre sull’Arte, and the project’s scientific curator. The latter will represent the Fondazione Marmo ETS and will also serve as chair of the committee.
At the end of the residency, the artwork will be publicly presented and donated to the City of Carrara, which will determine its placement in a public space within the city. The artist will retain moral rights. The full call for applications, including eligibility requirements and the necessary documentation, is available in the section dedicated to “Eccellenze Apuane” on the Fondazione Marmo ETS website.
Statements
“After graduating, Academy students very often feel lost; they’re not sure what their future career might be. In most cases, the most in-demand job is that of a marble finisher,” explain members of the Ponte di Ferro Association. “Many companies are looking for this type of professional to finish works that have been rough-hewn by robots. So we decided to use this same process to offer practical, hands-on training that is truly useful for a future career.”
“Today’s sculptors are expected to draw on tradition while also learning new skills. We’re proud to make our experience available to young artists,” state representatives from Litix Spa. “In fact, we believe that technology doesn’t replace the sculptor, but rather expands their possibilities—provided that the sculptor is the one in control of it.”
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| In Carrara, young sculptors are reimagining public monuments: a call for applications for a marble residency is now open |
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