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!
All The Things They Never Told You
Kate Radford
open category
ATTTNTY is a poetic, immersive, installation exploring art space as place for healing and sanctuary. It is a positive re-programming centre for women, designed to fill them with all the positive messages they should have heard from the world growing up. It comprises of hundreds of hand typed poems, an ambient guided audio and haptic visual effects and lighting to create a space of comfort and re-generation. It was initially commissioned by Hebden Bridge Arts Festival in 2018, and was first installed in the pulpit of a church. It was remounted at San Francisco Art Institute, November 2019. "They never told you silence should be a choice" "They never told you no can be really good for you" "They never told you it happens to too many women" "They never told you you are beautiful in your sadness but your light can burn through diamonds when you're happy" Participants are invited to leave behind a negative message that was told to them, which is sealed, and burned after the installation is finished. This piece is an example of the manifesto of my work, of 'Loving Disruption' in positive protest. That is, to interrupt negative systems of oppression and discord with positive symmetry, in order to energise and mobilise positive change. (I have video examples of this, which also demonstrate the tone of the installation) How can art catalyze change?: Art creates portals in which the existent and non-existent converse. In this space, we can imagine possible positive futures, in effect we can dream the world better than it is, and use our imaginations to make manifest a positive outcome. I use this mechanism within my work to heal collective trauma's for women. I am a rape survivor, and firmly believe it was my imagination that saved my life. Artists are gifted with visions that can open these portals for people to collect, share, heal, and transform. I believe art can catalyse change by a positive non-acceptance of negative scenarios as 'real' or 'unchanging'. Artists are here to teach the world how we can be braver and continue to open portals for public transformation. At this time, it is imperative we do this whilst developing a collective stamina for positive change and happiness, and that it is done with integrity, collectivism, and wisdom.
ATTTNTY is a poetic, immersive, installation exploring art space as place for healing and sanctuary. It is a positive re-programming centre for women, designed to fill them with all the positive messages they should have heard from the world growing up. It comprises of hundreds of hand typed poems, an ambient guided audio and haptic visual effects and lighting to create a space of comfort and re-generation. It was initially commissioned by Hebden Bridge Arts Festival in 2018, and was first installed in the pulpit of a church. It was remounted at San Francisco Art Institute, November 2019. "They never told you silence should be a choice" "They never told you no can be really good for you" "They never told you it happens to too many women" "They never told you you are beautiful in your sadness but your light can burn through diamonds when you're happy" Participants are invited to leave behind a negative message that was told to them, which is sealed, and burned after the installation is finished. This piece is an example of the manifesto of my work, of 'Loving Disruption' in positive protest. That is, to interrupt negative systems of oppression and discord with positive symmetry, in order to energise and mobilise positive change. (I have video examples of this, which also demonstrate the tone of the installation) How can art catalyze change?: Art creates portals in which the existent and non-existent converse. In this space, we can imagine possible positive futures, in effect we can dream the world better than it is, and use our imaginations to make manifest a positive outcome. I use this mechanism within my work to heal collective trauma's for women. I am a rape survivor, and firmly believe it was my imagination that saved my life. Artists are gifted with visions that can open these portals for people to collect, share, heal, and transform. I believe art can catalyse change by a positive non-acceptance of negative scenarios as 'real' or 'unchanging'. Artists are here to teach the world how we can be braver and continue to open portals for public transformation. At this time, it is imperative we do this whilst developing a collective stamina for positive change and happiness, and that it is done with integrity, collectivism, and wisdom.