Princess Grace Foundation Award Winners Unveil Fabergé Egg

Today one of Princess Grace's most treasured possessions, the Imperial Blue Serpent Egg by Peter Carl Fabergé (created in 1887) was unveiled as a highlight of the upcoming exhibition Artistic Luxury: Fabergé, Tiffany, Lalique, premiering at the Cleveland Museum of Art on October 19.  The unveiling took place at the offices of the Consulate General of Monaco in NYC and included a video message from H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.  Following the video message, Princess Grace Foundation-USA Chairman, Hon. John F. Lehman, along with members of the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Consul General of Monaco, unveiled the stunning Fabergé egg, which was graciously loaned by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco.

On hand to unveil this rare jeweled masterpiece, on-view for the first time in the U.S., were two Princess Grace Foundation-USA Fabergé Theater Award winners – Arnulfo Maldonado (2008) and Alec Hammond (1995).  The Princess Grace Foundation-USA, a public charity formed after the death of Princess Grace in 1982, awards scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships to assist emerging theater, dance and film artists.

In 1995, Fabergé endowed the Princess Grace Foundation-USA with the funding to create an annual award in their name. The award was inspired by the artist Peter Carl Fabergé and the great admiration that H.S.H. Princess Grace of Monaco held for Her Fabergé egg. This special honor is awarded to only one theater artist each year who shows excellence in design.

This year, the Fabergé Award will be presented to Arnulfo Maldonado, graduate of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.  He has received a fellowship for costume design to work with the Diverse City Theater in Manhattan.  Alec Hammond received his original Princess Grace Award in 1995, the inaugural Fabergé Award, for Scenic Design at the Yale School of Drama.  He is currently designing the television pilot Lie To Me and will be presented the 2008 Princess Grace Statue Award, for continuing excellence in the arts. Both designers will receive their Awards at the Princess Grace Awards Gala on October 15, 2008 in NYC.

About The Princess Grace Foundation-USA

The Princess Grace Foundation-USA (PGF-USA) is a not-for-profit, publicly-supported foundation headquartered in NYC founded more than 25 years ago by Prince Rainier III of Monaco in honor of His wife, Princess Grace [Kelly].  PGF-USA's mission is to support emerging artists in theater, dance and film through the awarding of scholarships, apprenticeships and fellowships. Since its inception, PGF-USA has awarded more than $5 million in grants to nearly 500 recipients.  The Awards further the legacy of Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco, who anonymously helped emerging artists pursue their goals throughout Her lifetime. The Princess Grace Fabergé Theatre Awards were created to honor the artistry of today's most talented scenic, costume, sound and lighting designers. More information at www.pgfusa.org.

Photo credit: Matthew Peyton