The Open Call for the Social Art Award 2019 under the topic “We are the People – Peaceful Revolutions” was closed on December 15, 2019. We are very impressed by 558 submissions that were contributed by artists coming from 65 countries across all continents.
The winners of The Social Art Award 2019 are Narcissa Gold (USA), Melinda Mouzannar (Lebanon) and Bogna Grazyna Jaroslawski (Poland/Germany). The Honorary Mention goes to Kingson Kin Sing Chan (Hong Kong/UK).
Below you find the artworks, that passed the initial jury round. The public voting took place till 30 December and is a tool to give more public visibility to the topic and the artworks. It does not replace the final jury judgment. There were two wildcards for the most voted artworks that entered the final shortlist.
The focus diversity of applications shows that artists are active in the multi-faceted fields of socially engaged art reflecting on wars, genocides, femicides, traumata, violence against refugees, children, women, men, disabled people, LGBTIQs, animals. They share feelings for the planet and its living species, but also showing hopelessness due to complex crises be it climate change (e.g. in regard to water pollution), capitalism, corruption, a violation against human rights, nature, protected national parks. Many of the artists are constantly trying to give a voice to the poorest or empower unheard social groups.
It’s not only about peaceful revolutions, but it’s also about feeling a deep connection and showing love and respect for each other.
Thank you all for sharing your great and inspirational work and look at all the great contributions!
We are the People (detail)
Various Artists
open category
"We are the People" is an annually recurring piece by Various Artists that was presented for the first time in Brussels, 2019. In February 2014, VA walked for 5 days on the Liepziger Messe site around the rectangular pond in the middle of the area. Via a public webcam mounted on an 85 meter high tower we made more than 30.000 pictures of the red figure that was VA. Of these photos, 5 are put together or stitched per day. The work will take another 15 years and within that period Various Artists wants to present the work once a year at a different location. The way of presenting can vary from a printed postcard / poster behind a window or glued to an outside wall to a projection etc..... The work must be visible all day on October 9th to commemorate the event that took place on that day in 1989 in Leipzig. How can art catalyze change?: With "We are the People" Various Artists want to project a historical event into the present and the future. The events that took place in 1989 and 2014 are directly related to the events that will take place once a year until 2034. By that time, many more revolutions will have taken place. Various Artists want to bring and show the work in the places and at the times when social, cultural or political changes are taking place. Proposed as symbol.
"We are the People" is an annually recurring piece by Various Artists that was presented for the first time in Brussels, 2019. In February 2014, VA walked for 5 days on the Liepziger Messe site around the rectangular pond in the middle of the area. Via a public webcam mounted on an 85 meter high tower we made more than 30.000 pictures of the red figure that was VA. Of these photos, 5 are put together or stitched per day. The work will take another 15 years and within that period Various Artists wants to present the work once a year at a different location. The way of presenting can vary from a printed postcard / poster behind a window or glued to an outside wall to a projection etc..... The work must be visible all day on October 9th to commemorate the event that took place on that day in 1989 in Leipzig. How can art catalyze change?: With "We are the People" Various Artists want to project a historical event into the present and the future. The events that took place in 1989 and 2014 are directly related to the events that will take place once a year until 2034. By that time, many more revolutions will have taken place. Various Artists want to bring and show the work in the places and at the times when social, cultural or political changes are taking place. Proposed as symbol.