Welcome to the Social Art Award 2025 – Online Gallery!
We are grateful for the many powerful contributions from artists across the globe. The selected works reflect the diversity of contemporary social art practices and address urgent issues such as climate and water crises, social and economic inequality, migration, conflict, discrimination, and the protection of human and more-than-human life.
Below you will find the submissions from the edition of 2024/2025 that passed the initial jury round. The Online Gallery offers public visibility to these works and supports dialogue around their themes; it does not replace the final jury decision.
Thank you to all artists for sharing your inspiring and committed work. We invite you to explore the gallery and engage with the perspectives shaping the Social Art Award 2025.
The Catch: Reflection of a Dying Ocean
Cicolianna
In The Catch: Reflection of a Dying Ocean, I explore the deep connection between humanity and the ocean, emphasizing how our actions entangle marine life in a cycle of destruction. The abstract fish, captured mid-struggle, bears a mirror as its eye—forcing viewers to confront their own reflection within the suffering of the sea. The burning ocean floor represents the catastrophic impact of pollution and climate change, while the delicate fishing lines symbolize both literal and metaphorical traps we set through overfishing and environmental neglect. A 3D sculpture of a man atop the frame, holding a fishing pole that pierces the canvas, serves as a stark reminder of human dominance over nature—often thoughtless and unconsidered. The juxtaposition of the serene fisherman with the turmoil below speaks to our collective detachment from the consequences of our actions. This piece calls for deeper awareness and responsibility. By acknowledging our reflection in the eye of the fish, we are reminded that we are not separate from the ocean’s fate—we are intricately tied to it. Only by breaking free from our patterns of exploitation can we hope to restore and protect our waters, embodying the spirit of Blue Tribes and harmonious coexistence.
In The Catch: Reflection of a Dying Ocean, I explore the deep connection between humanity and the ocean, emphasizing how our actions entangle marine life in a cycle of destruction. The abstract fish, captured mid-struggle, bears a mirror as its eye—forcing viewers to confront their own reflection within the suffering of the sea. The burning ocean floor represents the catastrophic impact of pollution and climate change, while the delicate fishing lines symbolize both literal and metaphorical traps we set through overfishing and environmental neglect. A 3D sculpture of a man atop the frame, holding a fishing pole that pierces the canvas, serves as a stark reminder of human dominance over nature—often thoughtless and unconsidered. The juxtaposition of the serene fisherman with the turmoil below speaks to our collective detachment from the consequences of our actions. This piece calls for deeper awareness and responsibility. By acknowledging our reflection in the eye of the fish, we are reminded that we are not separate from the ocean’s fate—we are intricately tied to it. Only by breaking free from our patterns of exploitation can we hope to restore and protect our waters, embodying the spirit of Blue Tribes and harmonious coexistence.