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!
Garden of prayer
Ryo Kajitani
open category
Series works - Paintings as prayers, Oil-based-Woodcut, process of the work created by kajitani which is overcoming the monochrome dimension and introducing the colors to the prints for the first time, cannot be imagined without close ties with being within the city bridging the creator's and its artwork in urban space. The color of the work is not given by artist itself, but rather acts as a generative phenomenon born in the urban life. My work itself participates in society life through exhibitions as amulets, talismans, gifts;. In order to make its historical role (the work is preserved and exhibited even after its creator passed away) sustainable, the work itself must be a symbolic thing, a “face” representing its creator and a comprehensive/impersonal symbol of urban space. This “face” is entrusted with functions of watching over, and giving. and as long as work is stored and displayed appropriately, keep working even after an artist, pass away, work will continue with future possible possibilities to watch over the era. After the death of an artist, these work starts to watch over the exhibition, Portrait (facial expression)on behalf of him, It will slept in artwork eternally. It reaches the social sleep rising above artist's personal sleep, work of art puts such time and space into eternity. In that sense, the space of the my work is equal to the space of a prayer. pray is home to me now. My first role is to display artworks to the world at exhibition space in cities everywhere. and show the meaning of “watching over” to the people through them. If this can be achieved gradually, the facial expression will diversify by itself. I hope to convey the meaning of watching over and giving attention to the general and specific ways to every person throughout the ages, not only in Japan. It is my mission to bring talisman-like works into existence for each person without being limited to space. I consider my life as a period to prepare for that mission. How can art catalyze change?: This work is a series print named "watching over, and giving". It is tendetive assumpsion of "social art" aiming at social penetration of the theme "Paintings as prayers" as the medium of "appreciation" in the exhibition space. This work goes to the exhibition space as an amulet and a gift. Proposed as symbol.
Series works - Paintings as prayers, Oil-based-Woodcut, process of the work created by kajitani which is overcoming the monochrome dimension and introducing the colors to the prints for the first time, cannot be imagined without close ties with being within the city bridging the creator's and its artwork in urban space. The color of the work is not given by artist itself, but rather acts as a generative phenomenon born in the urban life. My work itself participates in society life through exhibitions as amulets, talismans, gifts;. In order to make its historical role (the work is preserved and exhibited even after its creator passed away) sustainable, the work itself must be a symbolic thing, a “face” representing its creator and a comprehensive/impersonal symbol of urban space. This “face” is entrusted with functions of watching over, and giving. and as long as work is stored and displayed appropriately, keep working even after an artist, pass away, work will continue with future possible possibilities to watch over the era. After the death of an artist, these work starts to watch over the exhibition, Portrait (facial expression)on behalf of him, It will slept in artwork eternally. It reaches the social sleep rising above artist's personal sleep, work of art puts such time and space into eternity. In that sense, the space of the my work is equal to the space of a prayer. pray is home to me now. My first role is to display artworks to the world at exhibition space in cities everywhere. and show the meaning of “watching over” to the people through them. If this can be achieved gradually, the facial expression will diversify by itself. I hope to convey the meaning of watching over and giving attention to the general and specific ways to every person throughout the ages, not only in Japan. It is my mission to bring talisman-like works into existence for each person without being limited to space. I consider my life as a period to prepare for that mission. How can art catalyze change?: This work is a series print named "watching over, and giving". It is tendetive assumpsion of "social art" aiming at social penetration of the theme "Paintings as prayers" as the medium of "appreciation" in the exhibition space. This work goes to the exhibition space as an amulet and a gift. Proposed as symbol.