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!
SMILE - A social sculpture
Bogna
open category
Together with the homeless ‘brothers and sisters’ the first stage of SMILE was created on the streets of Woodstock, Capetown.: paper bags were blown up and formed into a balloon, then a small amount of the colored water was taken into the mouth by each of us to be forcefully blown onto the paper. After the colors had dried, delicate colors and powerful patterns were revealed – the power of a manifested laugh through color and shape, as well as the direct connection to the person through their DNA. I decided to complement the patterns with graphics and incorporating pieces of high-quality 23-carat ducat gold leaf into them. How can art catalyze change?: Many people living on the streets are often not permitted to participate in public life, such as visiting galleries, cafés or shops. With the exhibition of SMILE, however, the hierarchical social power relations were questioned, since the “brothers and sisters’” art was being exhibited in a place to which they usually had no access. The social sculpture SMILE offered them the opportunity to appear as fully-fledged artists*.
Together with the homeless ‘brothers and sisters’ the first stage of SMILE was created on the streets of Woodstock, Capetown.: paper bags were blown up and formed into a balloon, then a small amount of the colored water was taken into the mouth by each of us to be forcefully blown onto the paper. After the colors had dried, delicate colors and powerful patterns were revealed – the power of a manifested laugh through color and shape, as well as the direct connection to the person through their DNA. I decided to complement the patterns with graphics and incorporating pieces of high-quality 23-carat ducat gold leaf into them. How can art catalyze change?: Many people living on the streets are often not permitted to participate in public life, such as visiting galleries, cafés or shops. With the exhibition of SMILE, however, the hierarchical social power relations were questioned, since the “brothers and sisters’” art was being exhibited in a place to which they usually had no access. The social sculpture SMILE offered them the opportunity to appear as fully-fledged artists*.