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!

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phosphorescence 0.22
by Milan
Category: open category
596
Contest is finished!
https://social-art-award.org/award2019/?contest=photo-detail&photo_id=1167
64
596
Title:
phosphorescence 0.22

Author:
Milan

Category:
open category

Description:
My oeuvre is almost entirely based on the concept of light and darkness as antagonistic conceptions that represent the whole, thus I try to deepen the artistic process of creation by inviting the viewer to contemplate my paintings given that with them I allude to the spiritual response to the civilizational plunge into an abyss through the struggle of light that is deeply trapped in darkness. How can art catalyze change?: In my artistic oeuvre, black and white merge on the canvas and symbolize dualism between light and darkness as they are a natural phenomenon, but also powerful and significant symbols in the religious, mystical, mythological and ontological interpretations of nature, the physical and the spiritual world. Although we empirically discern light from darkness, and darkness from light, as symbols they are very complex and give us an insight into the totality of reality more than ratio or senses. The most profound religious symbols rely on this dualistic concept, from which the material and spiritual worlds emerge. In all ancient civilizations, religious systems and teachings, the respect for Light as a symbol of truth was dominant. Light, therefore, has become synonymous with truth and knowledge, while darkness is synonymous with falsehood and ignorance. We find such and similar interpretations both in different languages and in symbolism, from antiquity to the present; they are also present in my paintings. Despite their opposition, light and darkness, as well as life and death are only seemingly limited opposites. In the search for truth, only to the enlightened viewer these symbols will appear as parts of one whole. Proposed as symbol.
Description:
My oeuvre is almost entirely based on the concept of light and darkness as antagonistic conceptions that represent the whole, thus I try to deepen the artistic process of creation by inviting the viewer to contemplate my paintings given that with them I allude to the spiritual response to the civilizational plunge into an abyss through the struggle of light that is deeply trapped in darkness. How can art catalyze change?: In my artistic oeuvre, black and white merge on the canvas and symbolize dualism between light and darkness as they are a natural phenomenon, but also powerful and significant symbols in the religious, mystical, mythological and ontological interpretations of nature, the physical and the spiritual world. Although we empirically discern light from darkness, and darkness from light, as symbols they are very complex and give us an insight into the totality of reality more than ratio or senses. The most profound religious symbols rely on this dualistic concept, from which the material and spiritual worlds emerge. In all ancient civilizations, religious systems and teachings, the respect for Light as a symbol of truth was dominant. Light, therefore, has become synonymous with truth and knowledge, while darkness is synonymous with falsehood and ignorance. We find such and similar interpretations both in different languages and in symbolism, from antiquity to the present; they are also present in my paintings. Despite their opposition, light and darkness, as well as life and death are only seemingly limited opposites. In the search for truth, only to the enlightened viewer these symbols will appear as parts of one whole. Proposed as symbol.