Overview of the competition. The image at the front is Bruno Fabriani's street painting.
This is the original street painting competition, started in 1972 in Mantua, Italy, to preserve the art form of the madonnari (street painters). The competition is held each August during the public holiday of the Feast of the Assumption. Traditional religious and Renaissance themed street paintings are created in chalk on the piazza in front of the town's church in a 24 hour period under difficult conditions. The contest starts in the early evening so participants have to work into or through the night, then battle the blazing heat in the day to finish up their street paintings by the deadline at early evening.
The competition has 3 levels (Semplici, Qualificati, Maestri) and you must win the first level in order to compete in the second level, etc. The top award is winning the 3rd level of competition when you are given the title Maestro or Maestra, meaning you are a master street painter in this particular competition.
37° Incontro Madonnari a Grazie di Curtatone-Mantova- Italy 193 Concorrenti provenienti da Austria, Germania, Olanda, Irlanda, Giappone, Stati Uniti, Messico. Il primo premio lo ha vinto una Italiana. Ci sono stati pochi Maestri e Qualificati. In quattro giorni sono passati quasi 200 mila persone a visitare il Santuario della Beata Vergine Maria e gli Artisti Madonnari. Caldo torrido, ma tante belle opere a colorare il piazzale di Grazie. 37th Annual There were 193 competitors coming from Austria, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Japan, the United States, and Mexico. The top prize was won by an Italian. There have been few Maestri and Qualificati. In four days 200,000 people stopped by to visit the Sanctuary of the Beata Virgo Maria and to see the Madonarri artists (street painters). The weather was very hot, but there were so many beautiful works to color the square of Grazie.
Street painting by Alberto Forlenza (Italy) - Sanctuary Prize Award
Street painting by Selica Trippini (Italy) - Creative Prize Award and Special Prize of a trip to Monterrey, Mexico
Street painting by Gabrielle Hudson Abbot (USA) - Creative Prize Award
Street painting by Alba Rosa Amezcua Contreras (Mexico) - Honorable Mention
Street painting by Olmo Seresini (Milan, Italy) - Special Mention
Street painting by Juandres Vera (Mexico) - 2nd Place in Semplici category
Street painting by Luisa Spitti (Italy) - 1st Place in Semplici category
Street painting by Luigi Legno (Italy)- 3rd Place in Qualificati category
Street painting by Vera Bugatti (Italy) - 1st Place Qualificati category
Street painting by Maestra Sofia Simona Lanfredi of Bozzolo (Mantua, Italy) - 1st place of the Maestri category at the International XXXVII Concorso Madonnari of Grazie di Curtatone
This is the award that the 1st place winner received, going to Maestra Sofia Simona Lanfredi this year. Congratulations to Sofia, all of the Grazie winners, and all of the participants for doing a tremendous job!