We hereby express our gratitude for many applications we have received for the
INTERNATIONAL ART & DESIGN COMPETITION 2026.
As a result of careful consideration, we are pleased to announce the competition winners.
There are many wonderful works, but we also report that there was no first place.

✑ PURPOSE OF THE COMPETITION

Florence, sometimes called the “museum of no roof ”, is the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. The city of which modern Italy is proud as a center of art had reached one of its pinnacles between the 14th and 16th centuries, when creative energies and techniques of artisans flourished.

“The International Art & Design Competition” takes place in this marvelous environment. The aim of the competition is to contribute to the revitalization and internationalization of the entire Italian Art, Design and Crafts industries, by discovering new artists, fostering their talents, and in the meantime promoting the study abroad in Italy.

Award-Winning Works

The Silent Scene

name :
Maryam Sadat Younesi
course :
Jewelry Design

In the beginning, a profound silence reigned upon a white canvas, and there lay a solitary red core, oval and still, as though a heart not yet awakened.

The opening note of a silent performance. From that calm crimson, two golden spirals ascend, not straight, but winding, as if the universe knows no path but that of intricate rising. Within each coil, a whisper of Brunelleschi, the architecture of silent elevation. The form begins to rise. In the shaping of its volumes, the distant breath of Donatello is felt, a body slowly discovering meaning. An invisible softness settles over the curves, a gentleness echoing Raphael, a spirit flowing within the lines. And in the quiet symmetry and firm stillness, a hidden resonance of Michelangelo glimmers, an unspoken will carved in silence. At the center of this awakened stillness stand two luminous guardians, one on each side, not human, but keepers of equilibrium. Upon their right and left legs is inscribed the mirrored phrase: Saper Vedere, Da Vinci’s secret: To see, and to see beyond seeing.

In their hands each guardian carries an emerald, the ancient stone of lucid perception, long revered as a gem that reveals truth, steadies the mind, and illuminates what the eyes alone cannot. Placed like two pillars at the edges of a celestial threshold, these twin emeralds deliver a silent message of awareness into the heart of the design, a dual current of clarity descending from both sides, as though wisdom itself was being poured into the work. Midway through the ascent, two delicate birds alight, silent messengers. On their backs, tear-shaped emeralds glisten, tears not born of sorrow but of awakening. From their beaks hang baroque pearls, uneven and alive, a reminder that perfection often reveals itself through quiet irregularity. Along the golden twists, grapevines bud and unfurl, a living green that proclaims: every rise must remain rooted in life.

The spirals continue their ascent, shaped to echo the natural motion of awakening, a form that never breaks, never halts, only rises. And the core, once muted, begins to glow, no longer silent but radiant, like the sun of the first beginning. In that instant, the design is no longer simply a shape, but a being reborn.

no title

name :
Marziyeh Jalili
course :
Jewelry Design

This collection is a tribute to the humanistic spirit of the Italian Renaissance, embodied in the ancient art of cameo stone carving. The flawless symmetry of the design, inspired by Florentine architecture, alongside the birds symbolizing freedom of thought, tells a story of the rebirth of art. The primary materials—yellow gold, royal sapphire, and pink spinels—evoke the splendor of the families who supported the arts of that era. This piece is a convergence of classical heritage and the vibrant spirit of life during Italy’s golden age.

Fleur-de-lis earings

name :
Nazanin Firoozi
course :
Jewelry Design

Since the main goal of artists during the Renaissance was to imitate nature, I was also inspired by nature in creating this project. Below, we will mention the main characteristics of Renaissance art and explain how these characteristics were used in the presented design:
1. Balance, harmony and symmetry: The presented design symmetrical shapes and an oval frame, and balance can also be seen in the arrangement of stones.
2. Inspiration from nature: Using leaf-like designs and flowers
3. Very fine details and intricate frames: In the presented design, the golden frame is created using delicate relief patterns and border patterns.
4. Inspiration from classical Greek and Roman art: Oval frame with architecturally inspired framework. Regular plant designs; gold border work
5. Use of symbolism:
(1) The Lily: Symbol of Purity and the Virgin Mary. The lily was a dominant flower in Renaissance religious art, frequently used to represent purity and chastity. It was often shown in religious scenes involving the Virgin Mary or other saints, signifying their divine purity.
(2) The Fleur-de-lis: Symbol of Fertility, Purity and the Immaculate Conception. The Fleur-de-lis is the stylized depiction of the lily flower. It is a popular motif in medieval and Renaissance art. The fleur-de-lis symbolized purity, virtue, royalty, and the Holy Trinity.
(3) Pearl: Symbol of Purity, Prosperity and Power. In Renaissance art, pearls symbolized purity, wealth, status, and divine beauty, adorning figures from the Virgin Mary (purity) to Venus (sensual beauty), appearing in opulent jewelry on royals.

For the metals, I chose to use a combination of gold and silver and the used stones are diamond and pearl.

In Praise of Creation

name :
Mohammad Amin Mahmoudzadeh
course :
Jewelry Design

The project is a contemporary reinterpretation of the spirit of the Renaissance – an era in which humanity returned to the center of the universe, and the human hand became a reflection of the divine hand.
At the heart of the jewel, a timeless moment is frozen: the instant immortalized by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Two hands are suspended between earth and sky, not touching, but separated by a sacred distance – a space where the meaning of creation is born. This moment of tension and expectation forms the conceptual core of the design.
The scene is framed within an architectural structure inspired by Renaissance churches. Arches and columns evoke the order, rationality, and grandeur of classical architecture, where art, faith, and humanism coexist in balance. Flowing golden scrolls, derived from fifteenth-century ornamental motifs, introduce movement and rhythm into the composition. Gold is used not merely as a precious metal, but as a language of light, magnificence, and eternity. Clusters of grapes appear throughout the piece as a recurring symbolic element. In Renaissance religious art, grapes represent life, abundance, resurrection, sacrifice, and continuity. Traditionally depicted on church walls and frescoes, this motif is here transferred onto the human body, transforming sacred imagery into a wearable narrative and bringing art from the altar into everyday life. Angelic figures are present as silent witnesses between heaven and earth – not as commanding beings, but as observers of the moment in which humanity approaches the act of creation.

Hannibal's Dinner other 4 paintings

name :
Yuchen Mei
course :
Painting and Drawing

My paintings are often inspired by my interests, such as literature and film, travel, perfume collection, and explorations of architectural structure and mechanical movement.

"Hannibal's Dinner," is based on literary and artistic imagery Dot Hannibal Lecter from films and novels. It depicts an ogre enjoying a dinner at dusk in Florence, a scene steeped in classicism, luxury, and drama.

“Cuore di Bergamo," is a special tribute to the city of Bergamo created during the pandemic. Featuring the famous central church, it explores classic Italian landscape architecture, aiming to express people's unyielding faith in the face of adversity.

Fortuna. Trittico

name :
Regina Fatkullina
course :
Painting and Drawing

un talismano visivo, un simbolo di buon auspicio per ogni aspetto della vita.
Al centro dell'opera troneggia una figura femminile: giovane e pura, rappresenta la promessa di un futuro radioso. I pannelli laterali completano l'allegoria: a sinistra una natura morta evoca ricchezza e abbondanza, mentre a destra la cornucopia simboleggia salute e fertilità. La scelta dello stile rinascimentale non è casuale: è il linguaggio ideale per dare forma a queste allegorie, unendo passato e presente in un unico augurio di felicità.

Hope and dreams are the compass that guides us on our journey through life. I have been living in Italy for almost three years and, from the first moment this country has enlightened me with its beauty and monumentality. However, once the initial euphoria passed, I felt overwhelmed, almost invisible in the face of the historical power of this land. It is in art that I have found my strength: painting allows me to transcend everyday life and create a new reality.
My triptych, “Fortuna”, was created as a visual talisman, a symbol of good luck for every aspect of life.
A female figure stands at the center of the work: young and pure, she represents the promise of a bright future. The side panels complete the allegory: on the left, a still life evokes wealth and abundance, while on the right, cornucopia symbolizes health and fertility. The choice of the Renaissance style is not accidental: it is the ideal language to give shape to these allegories, uniting past and present in a single wish for happiness.

Italian Renaissance

name :
Yagmur Atik
course :
Graphic Design

RINASCITA

name :
Zhenya Germanova
course :
Graphic Design

Serene Shadows, Silent Spaces: A Renaissance Dialogue between Italy and Baltic Shore

name :
Magdalena Lojewska
course :
Interior Design

Daphne

name :
Thuy Pham Thai
course :
Interior Design

Texture & Light

name :
Valentina Ivanova
course :
Interior Design

Renaissance Harmony

name :
Elaheh Babaei
course :
Jewelry Design

Essence of Rebirth

name :
Suluk Khalvati
course :
Jewelry Design

Light of the Renaissance (The Dawn of the Renaissance)

name :
Zohreh Alimadadi
course :
Jewelry Design

Renaissance Geometry

name :
Hiva Ranjbar
course :
Jewelry Design

Blossom of Renewal

name :
Neda Keivani
course :
Jewelry Design

Il Duomo

name :
Nesrin Yeşilmen
course :
Jewelry Design

Eternal Bloom of Florence
Eternal Bloom Torque Necklace

name :
Soheila Hemmati
course :
Jewelry Design

The Divine Proportion
The Rebirth of Consciousness

name :
Yasaman Abedian
course :
Jewelry Design

Currents of Elegance

name :
Seunghyun Hahm
course :
Jewelry Design

Itinerarium Sacrum

name :
Afrooz Iravani
course :
Jewelry Design

Tesoro di Firenze

name :
Maryam Shahbazi
course :
Jewelry Design

The Serpent & The Golden Sphere

name :
Damon Aghajani
course :
Jewelry Design

Reprise

name :
Ting Yi Liao
course :
Jewelry Design

Arches of Eternity

name :
Mehri Pouran Mehr
course :
Jewelry Design

Eternal Beauty of Venus

name :
Shiva Sharifi Babak
course :
Jewelry Design

Rinascita

name :
Haniyeh Mousavi
course :
Jewelry Design

Domus Aurea

name :
Asma Mohammadi
course :
Jewelry Design

Vitruvian Harmony

name :
Solmaz Haghdoost
course :
Jewelry Design

Crossing the Darkness

name :
Saeed Ramezani
course :
Jewelry Design

Aurora Florentina

name :
Mahya Afkhami
course :
Jewelry Design

Wings of Transcendence: From Chrysalis to Brunelleschi’s Dome

name :
Banafsheh Llotfi Korka
course :
Jewelry Design

Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli

name :
Yeganeh Sheikholeslami
course :
Jewelry Design

no title

name :
Vahideh Ghesmi
course :
Jewelry Design

no title

name :
Arezoo Amirshekari
course :
Jewelry Design

Silent Observer

name :
Shima Jarmoozi
course :
Jewelry Design

RENAISSANCE
REVERIE

name :
Erfan Razi
course :
Jewelry Design

SELEN

name :
Ali Madani
course :
Jewelry Design

Irisia

name :
Behnaz Azizpour
course :
Jewelry Design

Shining in the sun, Sparkling in the moon

name :
Yoji Yamaguchi
course :
Jewelry Design

The Ascent Within

name :
Rabia Nazir Malik
course :
Jewelry Design

Engineered Beauty: The Power of the Medici Family

name :
Sepideh Hazhir
course :
Jewelry Design

Echo of Renaissance Harmony

name :
Salome Goglidze
course :
Jewelry Design

Urban Coexistence

name :
Yi-Yun Lai
course :
Jewelry Making

The Midnight Circus

name :
Yongyu Song
course :
Jewelry Making

A Small Nobility: A Contemporary Reflection of Italian Renaissance Spirit

name :
Bayan Gbareen
course :
Painting and Drawing

When the Earth Became a Roof

name :
Neeraj Gupta
course :
Painting and Drawing

Percibal

name :
Diego Alejandro Caceres Ocampo
course :
Painting and Drawing

no title

name :
Kaoru Shibuta
course :
Painting and Drawing

The Unnamed Face

name :
Nicholas Zgraggen
course :
Painting and Drawing

Landscape beyond imagination

name :
Ayesha Shaikh
course :
Painting and Drawing

Awakening of the Human Spirit

name :
Suprabha Kumari
course :
Painting and Drawing

A Contemporary Self-Portrait Inspired by the Mona Lisa

name :
Marianne Queen Estrosos
course :
Painting and Drawing

The Silent Exchange: A Renaissance of Two Worlds

name :
Amirthaselvan Renujan
course :
Painting and Drawing

New Beginnings

name :
Erina Medcraft
course :
Painting and Drawing

Linea del Pensiero

name :
Kristina Toncarová
course :
Painting and Drawing

The Golden Heart of Bravery

name :
Kristina Solonenko
course :
Painting and Drawing