For the 2025 edition of AKAA art fair, the Fondazione Ettore e Ines Fico is pleased to present a selection of works from its collection and to announce the launch of the Fondazione Ettore e Ines Fico Prize. 

Founded in 2007 by Ines Sacco Fico, widow of artist Ettore Fico (1917 – 2004), the Foundation was born out of a desire to preserve, study, and promote the work of the Turin-born artist, while expanding its mission to embrace a broader cultural vision. Quickly recognized as a public-interest institution in the Piedmont region, the Foundation has never confined itself to archiving or preservation alone. It positions itself as an active cultural player, focused on contemporary creation, support for emerging artists, and reaching new audiences. Through its initiatives, the Foundation fosters a dynamic dialogue between memory, artistic heritage, innovation, and society. 

The new prize is designed to honor emerging and established African artists, as well as those whose work has stood out for its consistency and depth of artistic research over the past twenty years. It reflects the Foundation’s commitment to supporting the contemporary African art scene and boosting its visibility on the international stage. 

The awards ceremony will take place during the AKAA fair. A jury composed of experts and art critics, chaired by Andrea Busto, Director of the Ettore Fico Museum and Foundation in Turin, will be responsible for selecting the winners. The awarded works will be added to the permanent collection of the Ettore Fico Museum. 

Alongside the ceremony, an exhibition within the fair will showcase a selection of the works by African artists already featured in the museum’s collection, including: Shamilla Aasha, Bouvy Enkobo, Victor Fotso Nyie, Trevor Gould, Maïmouna Guerresi, Salifou Lindou, Omar Mahfoudi, Troy Makaza, James Misho, Samuel Nnorom, Ozioma Onuzulike. 

Through this initiative, the Fondazione Ettore e Ines Fico reaffirms its dedication to promoting contemporary African art, while continuing its ongoing mission to support artists and foster the diversity of artistic expressions worldwide.