Support > Whitechapel Gallery Art Icon Award >
On Tuesday 21 January 2019 Francis Alys (b. 1959, Belgium) was the seventh artist to receive the prestigious Art Icon Award in partnership with Swarovski.
The evening, hosted by Iwona Blazwick OBE (former Director, Whitechapel Gallery) and Nadja Swarovski (Member of the Swarovski Executive Board) consisted of a gala dinner and live auction. Tickets sold for the evening help raise vital funds for the Whitechapel Gallery’s Education and Community programmes.
Swarovski creates a more sparkling world and delivers a diverse portfolio of unmatched quality, craftsmanship, and creativity. Founded in 1895 in Austria, the company designs, manufactures and sells the world’s highest quality crystal, genuine gemstones, Swarovski Created Diamonds and zirconia, finished products such as jewelry and accessories, as well as interior design and lighting solutions. The Swarovski Crystal Business is run by the fifth generation of family members and has a global reach with approximately 3,000 stores in around 170 countries, more than 29,000 employees, and revenue of about 2.7 billion euros in 2018. Together with its sister companies Swarovski Optik (optical devices) and Tyrolit (abrasives), Swarovski Crystal Business forms the Swarovski Group. In 2018, the Group generated revenue of about 3.5 billion euros and employed more than 34,500 people. In 2019, Swarovski UK Limited received a Royal Warrant as manufacturer and supplier of crystals to HRH Queen Elizabeth II. A responsible relationship with people and the planet has always been an integral part of Swarovski’s heritage, and is embedded today in the company’s well-established sustainability agenda. In addition, the global Swarovski Waterschool education program has reached 500,000 children on the world’s greatest rivers. The Swarovski Foundation was set up in 2013 to honor the philanthropic spirit of company founder Daniel Swarovski, and works to support culture and creativity, promote human empowerment and conserve natural resources to achieve positive social impact.
