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!
Free Seat
Pedro Carneiro Silva and Ardalan Aram
open category
A keyboard and an empty chair with headphones are placed in an urban space. A song is created in the moment for every person who takes a seat. This performance piece is an invitation to stop for a moment and dive into another realm within the public space. No explanation, no rules and no expectations are set, just a moment of encounter through music. "Free Seat" is a collaboration between the Brazilian musician Pedro Carneiro Silva and the Iranian/German conceptual artist & filmmaker Ardalan Aram. By promoting random encounters, the project seeks to act in the daily life of the city and raise questions about human relations through art. The participant, by overcoming the natural distrust of what is being offered to him and joining the proposal to take a seat, goes from the role of a spectator to co-author of the creation process, insofar as his attitude directly influences the music that is created in the moment. How can art catalyze change?: Art Connects Us to Feeling, Feeling Connects Us.
A keyboard and an empty chair with headphones are placed in an urban space. A song is created in the moment for every person who takes a seat. This performance piece is an invitation to stop for a moment and dive into another realm within the public space. No explanation, no rules and no expectations are set, just a moment of encounter through music. "Free Seat" is a collaboration between the Brazilian musician Pedro Carneiro Silva and the Iranian/German conceptual artist & filmmaker Ardalan Aram. By promoting random encounters, the project seeks to act in the daily life of the city and raise questions about human relations through art. The participant, by overcoming the natural distrust of what is being offered to him and joining the proposal to take a seat, goes from the role of a spectator to co-author of the creation process, insofar as his attitude directly influences the music that is created in the moment. How can art catalyze change?: Art Connects Us to Feeling, Feeling Connects Us.