Reflecting its mission to bridge East and West through the arts, the Boghossian Foundation International Prize celebrates artists whose work fosters a better mutual understanding among cultures.
The Boghossian Foundation International Prize
Laureates 2025
For its 2025 edition, the Prize celebrates Design and Crafts, two disciplines that lie at the intersection of contemporary creation and ancestral know-how. It was awarded to Korean artist Hyejeong Ko.
The work of Hyejeong Ko, rooted in the poetic sensibility of Asian aesthetics, transforms sterling silver – a material deeply embedded in both Eastern craft traditions and Western decorative arts – into objects that embody timeless balance and modern refinement.
Hyejeong Ko was born and raised on Jeju, a volcanic island at the southern tip of Korea, where wind, stone, sea, and light weave together to create landscapes in constant transformation. Inspired by organic forms such as dandelions, pebbles, and flowing water, each work captures fleeting natural moments in a tactile, enduring form. Metal, often seen as cold and rigid, becomes organic and warm.
Sterling silver fascinates her for its subtle tonal shifts under light, like ink gradations in Asian painting. Alongside silver, she incorporates brass, mother-of-pearl, and wood to enrich her material language and deepen the dialogue between nature and craftsmanship.
The jury commends the strong connections between design, jewellery, mother-of-pearl, craftsmanship, and architecture, as well as the technical mastery and precision evident in the artist’s practice.
The jury, chaired by Ralph Boghossian, brought together major players from the international design and visual arts scene:
Bernard Coulie (Doctor of Philology and Oriental History and former Rector of UCL, curator), Julia Garimorth (Chief Curator of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris), Lina Ghotmeh (architect), Pascale Mussard (founder of Petit h, President of Villa Noailles), Alfred Pacquement (curator), Louma Salamé (director of the Boghossian Foundation – Villa Empain), Cathy Van Keer – Boghossian, Chairman of the Board.
Residency prize
The jury of the International prize 2025 wished to reward the young Palestinian artist Jessica Azizeh, praising the quality of her work, the originality of her approach and the technical mastery displayed in her research. Although her practice is mainly rooted in ceramics, it also extends to other materials, nourished by an exploration of forms and skills derived from Palestinian material culture. As such, she has been awarded a residency at the Boghossian Foundation’s artists’ residence.
Laureates 2024
The Boghossian Foundation International Prize 2024 was awarded to Kate Crawford and Vladan Joler, Kim Mupangilaï and Joy Harvey, in the fields of visual arts, design and jewellery.
The Prize includes an amount of 12.000€, an exhibition at the Boghossian Foundation and an invitiation for a one month stay at the artists’ residency of the Villa Empain.
Chaired by Albert Boghossian, the jury gathered some of the leading figures of the international art scene:
Daniel Blanga Gubbay (Director of Kunstenfestivaldesarts), Bernard Coulie (doctor in philology and oriental history
and former rector of UCL), Chris Dercon (managing director of the Fondation Cartier), Julia Garimorth
(chief curator at the Musée d’art Moderne de la Ville de Paris), Jean-Noël
Jeanneney (historian), Alfred Pacquement (art historian and museum curator), Louma
Salamé (director of the Boghossian Foundation – Villa Empain).
Visual arts
Design and crafts
Kim Mupangilaï
Kim Mupangilaï (1989) is a Belgian-Congolese designer based in New York, merging her dual heritage to create innovative and culturally rich designs. Graduated in Graphic Design and Interior Architecture from LUCA School of Arts/KU Leuven in Belgium, her work delves into the intersection of Congolese art and Belgian Art Nouveau, seeking to deepen the understanding of cultural narratives. Recognized internationally, she has exhibited at prestigious events and collaborates with institutions to challenge conventional design education, with a focus on inclusivity and the acknowledgment of African influences. Her creations seamlessly blend striking aesthetics with thoughtful functionality, embodying a dialogue between tradition and modernity.
Jewellery
Joy Harvey
Joy Harvey (1993) is an Italian jewelry artist who combines scientific insight with traditional craftsmanship. With a background in Pure Chemistry, she founded La Luce jewelry studio, blending Florentine goldsmithing, Armenian techniques, and digital innovation. Harvey’s work explores themes of imperfection, aging, and societal perceptions of beauty, challenging conventional ideals. Her pieces, featured in prestigious exhibitions like the 2024 PMA Craft Show and the LVMH Maestri d’Eccellenza Prize, are one-of-a-kind and provoke emotional reflection on the evolving nature of beauty.
