The jury of CICA 2026 met on April 18 at the Museu de Ceràmica de l'Alcora. Chaired by the mayor, and with the participation of renowned professionals from the artistic and ceramic sectors, the high standard of the works presented in this edition was emphasized.
Following deliberation, the first prize, endowed with 7,000 euros and sponsored by the City Council of l'Alcora, was awarded to the work Hollowed-out divinity, by Chinese artist Zehan Du. The jury praised its meticulous use of technique and its ability to create a balanced dialogue between tradition and contemporaneity, achieving a synthesis of universal appeal. The piece offers a thought-provoking reflection on emptied and reinterpreted spirituality, highlighting its careful and contemporary presentation.
“"The result is a mature and solid piece that surprises with its depth and high conceptual development."
The second prize, worth 5,000 euros and sponsored by the Diputación de Castellón, went to Body poetry, by Mariya Alipieva Lazarova (Barcelona). This work was recognized for its highly conceptual language, focusing on a theme of social critique that approaches self-portraiture and highlights the manipulation of the body to conform to established canons. The jury also valued the combination of various techniques, such as molds, traditional decals, personal photography, and blown glass, in an approach close to collage, revealing solid technical mastery and notable integration capability.
The third prize, with an endowment of 3,000 euros, was awarded to Las trayectorias que una catástrofe dibuja en secreto, by Almudena Lobera (Madrid). The jury highlighted the solid research development on territory and material. The proposal is articulated as a process of industrial archaeology of an uninhabited space, where ruin becomes a subject of reflection. Through a careful cartography of forms, the work proposes a suggestive regularization of chaos, exploring its latent geometry.
In addition to the main prizes, the jury granted two honorable mentions. The first, to Equilibrium I, by Marta Armada (Pontevedra), for its refined formal development through wheel-thrown porcelain pieces. The second mention went to Inner Aureole, by Xiao Daixian (China), recognized for its technical excellence in third-fire drawing on porcelain, which, based on the observation of nature, delves into an oneiric universe.
This edition of the competition saw significant participation from 321 ceramists (200 international and 121 national) who submitted a total of 472 works. Of these, 42 will be exhibited in the CICA 2026 exhibition, which can be visited from May 15 to September 6 at the Museu de Ceràmica de l'Alcora.
