Carmen Arozena (1917) was a Spanish artist, born in the Canary island La Palma. Following her premature death in 1963 her family and friends initiated in 1973 this print award in order to perpetuate her name and work.
In 1989 the “Cabildo Insular de La Palma” (local government) takes over the sponsorship of the prize conferring a guarantee of continuity to everybody in love with this means of expression.
In 2000 Brita Prinz Arte was asked by the “Cabildo” to take over the organization of this prize. Since then, we enjoy every year all these excitements and surprises surrounding each announcement. The printing moment at the workshop is full of tense emotions and the artist’s solitude can become a collective adventure. And for us, at Brita Prinz Arte, the excitement begins with the first day of the print’s reception, continues with the unpacking of tubes and parcels, followed by surprise and emotion when picking up the tissue paper and discovering the print underneath.
There is a great variety of printing techniques among the selected prints like the traditional woodcut, dry-point and etching or the more innovative ones created by artists pushing and expanding constantly this means of expression.
All awarded and selected prints are exhibited at the “Museo Casa de la Moneda” in Madrid, where the prize-giving takes place, followed by an exhibition at the “Casa Salazar” in Santa Cruz de La Palma (Canary Island).