XVIII FIDEM Congress and Exhibition, 2002
September 23 - September 26, 2002
For over half a century, La Fédération Internationale de la Médaille (FIDEM), has been celebrating a biannual Congress and Exhibition of medallic art.
This time the Congress was organized by the France FIDEM Delegation and was hosted by the Monnaie de Paris, the National Mint of France, in a historical landmark built
at the end of the 18th century.
The theme for the 28th Congress was "The Medal, Communication Vector and Object." Since its appearance, the medal has been a communication device. It is an artistic mode of expression in itself. Communication and publicity agencies were invited to express their views on this subject.
The Congress opening and the exhibit were held in the halls of the Monnaie de Paris.
All the conferences took place in the conference auditoriums of the museum of the Monnaie de Paris.
Participants were invited to visit the Senate, the Cabinet of Medals at the National Library, and the School of Fine Arts, and enjoyed a reception at the City Hall of Paris.
Photo above from the FIDEM medals selection, Essex community church, Essex, New York, January, 2002.
The judges are pictured from right to left: Sculptor and current AMSA president, Jeanne Stevens-Sollman;
the FIDEM delegate for USA, Cory Gillilland; sculptor and New York Gallery owner Mashiko; sculptor Eugene Daub and Kathleen Sneider, a professor of sculpture at the University of Vermont. The judges' task was to pick about 60 medals from among 130 and 140 works submitted.
"FIDEM" stands for "Fédération Internationale de la Médaille." Every two years, FIDEM organizes a congress and an exhibition to promote exchanges among artists and to make their work known internationally. FIDEM was established in 1937 to internationally promote the art of the medal. The organization strives to make known the art, the history and the technology of the medal. The periodical "Medailles," which contains information on the congress and the FIDEM's activities is produced after each congress and every member receives a copy. FIDEM members also receive the magazine "The Medal" twice a year. As a members of FIDEM you may show your medals in international exhibitions and take part in conferences on medallic art.
We are currently preparing an exhibition online that will gather images of the medals by AMSA members.
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