ARTOUR-O is a curious fellow
ARTOUR-O a passionate friend of art
ARTOUR-O a way of life
ARTOUR-O your best traveling companion
ARTOUR-O is in all of us

What is it - A burst of contemporary artistic reality which sees the public and private sectors joined in exhibitions, events and meetings.

Why - ARTOUR-O was born of a wish to share the wealth of knowledge behind Italy's unique creativity, which our country continues to express so ably. There is seems to be a seamless passage between past and present, as through centuries commissioned project led to the next commissioned project. This tradition of cultural support has carried on, making Italy unique in the demonstration of its sensitivity to art by offering Italian and foreign artists an opportunity to work in Italy.

The ARTOUR-O d'Argento awards bear witness to the fact that this tradition is alive today, sustained by individuals such as those who are to receive the silver medal with a simple word of thanks for what their efforts have made possible.

We refer to enlightened public and private entities, including numerous public administrative bodies, all motivated by a shared passion to support the artistic spirit. In Italy, we perhaps lose sight of the sacrifice and work behind the scenes, as accustomed as we are to the presence of beauty. As Pier Luigi Sacco once pointed out: We constantly enjoy our exposition to the historic superposition of art from the dawning of civilization till now.

ARTOUR-O does not follow fashionable trends, indeed it rejects them. Rather, it identifies itself with Pablo Picasso's statement that "if a work of art does not remain relevant to the present, it is not interesting". We have developed our own standard of assessment to help identify those artists able to express themselves artistically in a timeless manner, and hope you agree with our choices.
My own personal background immersed design engineering has been fundamental to this art project's development, as was the reference material generously provided the International Archives of Ellequadro created by Dott.Renata Ramondo.

ARTOUR-O's unique format was conceived with the greatest degree of cultural and artistic flexibility in mind. Marketing Mission, Vittorio Volpi's book detailing the "glocalization" process, has been an essential reference and guide from the project's inception.

To lend facilitated movement to the original concept, the "Con-Temporary Museum Shop" was developed. This format encourages direct contact between ARTOUR-O and other cultures, sparking foreign interest in Italy and things Italian.

ARTOUR-O comprises all forms of art, from sculpture al video, from painting to performance art, from photography to design, mixed technique to multimedia.
One of the project's primary goals is to unveil works by young or undiscovered artists, for the first time sharing with the world their unique creativity and potential.

The strong ties binding ARTOUR-O to local communities are acknowledged by the presentation of the the ARTOUR-O d'Argento Awards to supporting members of the public and private sectors. Referring to connections, community, sharing and art James Hillmann was once quoted as saying: "I cannot know a thing unless I see it, what I do not know I fear, what I fear I hate and what I hate I destroy. Yet, I become a mentor of man in the very moment my imagination succumbs to the fantasy of another.