Under the leadership of E. Hatzisavva, Associate Professor and Dean of the Athens School of Fine Arts, and Professor I. Messinis, the School will award Michelangelo Pistoletto, founder of Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, an Honorary Doctorate from the Athens School of Fine Arts. The conferral ceremony will take place in Biella, Italy, on October 29, 2025 (1:00 p.m. Greek time).

The award recognizes Michelangelo Pistoletto’s outstanding contribution to contemporary art and his pioneering work in connecting art with society and the environment. The honoree will be addressed by Ms. Rector, Associate Professor Erato Hatzisavva, the Vice-Rector for International Relations and Outreach, Associate Professor Ioannis Melanitis, and the member of the ASFA Board of Directors, art historian and curator Katerina Koskina.

Michelangelo Pistoletto (born in 1933 in Biella, Italy) is one of the most important representatives of Arte Povera and a pioneer in the fusion of art, society, and the environment. The award recognizes Mr. Pistoletto’s innovative and enduring contribution to contemporary art, his decisive role in redefining the relationship between art and society, and his lifelong dedication to artistic research that bridges creativity, ethics, and social transformation. In 1998, he founded Cittadellarte-Fondazione Pistoletto, an international workshop for social transformation through art, where artists, scientists, and institutions collaborate for sustainable development. His vision for the Third Paradise and the founding of Cittadellarte have profoundly influenced the dialogue between art, sustainability, and collective responsibility—values that are deeply consistent with the academic and artistic mission of the Athens School of Fine Arts.

His work has been exhibited in leading museums and biennials around the world, and he has received numerous international awards.