il Duomo di Milano, the spectacular Gothic cathedral in Milan, photographed on a brisk October night. Photo: P. Sullivan

Imagine my excitement – being invited to return to Milano Jewelry Week in 2026 again for a second year! Showing two pieces from my Upcycled Reimagined Object series, I excitedly pre-arranged for my new art jewelry works to be exhibited at the grandiose Palazzo Bovara, located along the Corso Venezia in the center of the metropolitan city of Milan, Italy.

Shortly after my plane landed at Malpensa airport, I knew I wanted to see the areas of the Duomo and Galleria San Vittorio Emanuele II that were involved in the well-publicized unrest and protests that took place only five nights before. I was quite relieved and frankly, overjoyed to see historic buildings had been ‘left’ just as I last saw it exactly one year before; but with a heightened Polizia presence to ensure both Milanese residents and tourists’ safety.

Captured live at Milano Jewelry Week’s Awarding Night, Patricia won 1st Honorable Mention of the MJW Contemporary Design Award 2026. Photo is courtesy of Prodes Italia.

Patricia Sullivan’s installation at this year’s Artistar Jewels exhibit at the Palazzo Bovara in Milano, Italy, part of Milano Jewelry Week 2026. Photo courtesy of the artist.

This year, Milano Jewelry Week changed to a new venue for its annual Awarding Night. Artists, gallerists, curators, media writers, goldsmiths and academics gathered by invitation only to the Auditorium di Milano near the Navigli section of the city. I was stunned when I was called to the stage to receive the First Honorable Mention of the MJW Contemporary Design Award 2026! The three winners of this award were selected by Stef Fedor, Executive Director of the Art Jewelry Forum. The Awarding Night presented a total of eleven different award categories, including this one by the AJF, as well as the High Jewelry Award and several Emerging Designer Awards by notable legendary organizations in jewelry such as Inhorgenta Munich and Assamblage.

Milano Jewelry Week is an annual recurring event, this year beginning on October 20th and continuing through October 26th, 2026. The events encompass three mainstays of contemporary, fine and high jewelry design: Artistar Jewels, The Jewelry Hub and Experiential Journeys. Organized and presented by Prodes Italia, curation is by Bianca Zaramella, Founder and Creative Director of the Brazilian powerhouse, Blossom Brasil Agency, São Paulo.

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Patricia Sullivan is a metalsmith and studio artist – living in the suburbs of Philadelphia across the great Delaware River in Southern New Jersey. She spent seven years prior, living in both New York City and the Hudson Valley, New York, studying at Parsons School of Design, moving onward to receive a second degree (post-graduate) in Fine Arts/Metals at SUNY New Paltz. A Philadelphia native, Patricia was exposed to the arts and music of this region since a young age, receiving her first Bachelor's degree at Temple University in Philadelphia before her sojourn to New York began. Patricia has exhibited her artwork nationally and internationally at both Munich Jewellery Week in Germany and Milano Jewelry Week in Milan, Italy. Ms. Sullivan was one of only thirty-four artists worldwide to exhibit her work at the Center for Craft, as part of being selected for Metalsmith magazine's prestigious "Exhibition in Print - Moved by Metal."

3 replies on ““Art Trek” to Italy, Pt.II: Milano Jewelry Week Shines Even Brighter this Fall”

  1. Congratulations on receiving ANOTHER award 👏🏼 👏🏼👏🏼. Well deserved!!! 🙌🏻🎊💪🏻

    Reply

    1. Lu, thank you!! I genuinely appreciate that! And I especially enjoyed seeing you and discussing all the wonderful works we saw together, walking through the Artistar event. There was too much great work to see!! 👌

      Reply

  2. Congratulations on your award! Reading your post made me wish I’d visited Milano Jewelry Week. I’ll put it on my calendar for next year!

    Reply

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