The Social Art Award Invigorating The Rise of Social Art Edition No. 1 Institute for Art and Innovation The Social Art Award Invigorating The Rise of Social Art Edition No. 1 Institute for Art and Innovation Imprint Authors Nicole Loeser, Viktoria Trosien Images and work descriptions All artists and authors Editor and Layout Institute for Art and Innovation In cooperation with WHITECONCEPTS Gallery, Berlin/DE All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. © 2017 Publisher Institute for Art and Innovation e.V. Auguststr. 35 10119 Berlin Phone +49 30 87337057 Fax +49 321 2113 4523 [email protected] www.art-innovation.org Content Imprint The Social Art Award Prologue by Viktoria Trosien Prologue by Nicole Loeser What is Social Art? Selected Artists Paul Altmann MAIK Alles Gute Atelier SER {WILD CARD} Tatjana Macic {TOP 10} Puk Bresser Antoanetta Marinov Gerd G.M. Brockmann {TOP 10} Beatriz Morales Pietro Celesia Karine Morel Mark Cypher Natalija Otonicar Diogo da Cruz {TOP 10} Fani Pantazidou Christa Joo Hyun D’Angelo {TOP 10} Keith Plummer Simona DaPozzo Julia PopLawska Katarzyna Stefania Debska Quek Jia Qi {TOP 10} David Bert Joris Dhert {TOP 10} Rachel Reid {TOP 10} Don Quixotes Theater Group Amina Sahan Glen Farley {TOP 10} Natasha Sarkar {WILD CARD} Sibylle Grundeis Claudia Schmitz Ann Isabelle Guyomard Nina Sumarac Jablonsky {TOP 10} Gertrud Hahnkamper Moses Tan Andrea Huyoff/CargoCult Lino Tonelotto {TOP 10} Ola Ignasiak O. Yemi Tubi Radanut im Oeb aka KARIZMIN Ida van der Lee Vanja Jovic Júlia Végh Rebecca Kautz Erik Vrcon Sigrid Keunen Fiona White Lauren Klarfeld Oier Gil Zapirain Yejeong Ko Irena Zieniewicz Olga Lamm Jury Members The Social Art Award in and to shape everyday social interaction. Her work makes visible the quality not just The Social Art Award is an independent and of rituals of cleanliness, but also of ethnic not for profit initiative by the Institute for Art “orderliness” and its ubiquitous presence in and Innovation. This accompanying book Singapore, where even flats in apartment documents the award and supports the spread buildings are distributed according to ethnicity. of Social Art, strengthening the recognition of Independent of Singapore’s politics, the object social artists and the value of their work. exposes undercurrents of racism and ethnic rivalry anywhere in an angry, funny and The first edition of the Social Art Award was provocative way, asking indelicate questions launched at the beginning of 2017. It caught which most societies are happy to avoid. the interest of artists from 131 countries with DIOGO DA CRUZ combines a careful diverse backgrounds regarding culture, age deliberation on the processes of (economic and gender. Their inspiring entries addressed and communicative) exchange with humor very different issues. and irony. This strategy makes it especially attractive and effective by being radical We congratulate the finalists of 2017: and sometimes intentionally trashy. Note 1. Lino Tonelotto (France) the use of appropriate video material with 2. Quek Jia Qi (Singapore) stock photo’s watermarks as a contribution 3. Diogo da Cruz (Portugal) to the technique of ready-made. Therefore it raises interesting reflections on the use and Here are some excerpts from the jury’s appropriation of images in contemporary art descriptions: and in online culture in general. Diogo’s work shows a convincing multiplicity of disciplines LINO TONELOTTO’s project fulfills the being composed of layers and layers of functions of social art by combining activism meaning, sometimes with concepts that reveal and aesthetics. Artistic techniques lare applied knowledge of philosophical and sociological to political advertising. A clear message is theory and sometimes using the absurd as a communicated and sufficiently enigmatic (the mode of expression. back) to give room for reflection. The project has the advantage through participation of Nevertheless this book presents all of the people, which contributes a social plus to the Top50 entries in alphabetical order. It is about piece. Its implementation in the public sphere, providing inspiration and not just another beyond the mere space of the art world, documentation of a competition. All of these frames it in the right field to play with the submissions are inspired through raising limit between institution-art and daily-political attention and contributing to the field of Social space. In this sense, its development in the Art, aiming at creating societal change. online space is also very important, re-closing the project in both its aesthetic and political You are invited to decide yourself which work functions. In short, it is a project that attracts appeals most to you or for which cause you at first glance, brings new combat strategies may assign. for social art, and perfectly combines form and content and the concerns of people. Please check the website for new open call QUEK JIA QI’s work is an excellent and announcements and further information: complex work of social, interventionist art. www.social-art-award.org Designed to be part of everyday life as a multiple soap dispenser, it is a piece not intended for a White Cube, but to be used Prologues structures. To do so, it is about us – the people – and we are not alone, we can build on the Our current societies are struggling worldwide. ideas of many visionary and creative people There is tendency towards disenchantment and they can build on ours and thus proceed and even resignation. Many people feel forward to make change happen! absorbed in the complexity of a stuck system. While politicians make big promises during Yet how to cope with disenchantment, elections, they seem to forget them once resignation or the sense of stuckness? How they assume power. War is still common. can we break up encrustedness and facilitate The tremendous speed of neo-capitalist the power to change which is inherent in each globalization seems unstoppable. The individual? established systems, be it political structures It is playfulness and creativity that frees up or the finance industry are acting in self- and gives room for new ideas. And art is the referencing survival and optimization mode. medium, to reach out to the people, to raise They are accumulating power for the few, the questions again and again, to get people not for the many. Inequality is rising, as are involved turning thought into action, to allow environmental issues. Is it - Panem et circenses - playfulness and beauty while addressing the game of bread and circuses that is keeping serious issues and proposing new futures. people quiet? But to what extend? How long do we want to tolerate? Thus the idea for the Social Art Award was born giving visibility, opening discussions, While governments fall back into nationalist, encouraging action, facilitation change protectionist structures, more and more people providing ground for future societies. perceive themselves as global citizens and By Viktoria Trosien feel connected one to another, no matter which border lies in between. So how do we really want to live in a truly 21st century How do artists react to contemporary social civilization? What are the issues that we need phenomena? How do artists inspire their to overcome, how do we want the world to own as well as the public awareness? How look like? What should be the rules that define do artistic works even promote the will for how we want to live together? Is it enough making change in society? to fix old structures, or shouldn’t we far more leapfrog to new ones? In tense times such as our present, artists with their different life models and critical, Why not learning from successful technology humorous and ambivalent works are an disruption to apply those to societal change? inspiring encounter to deal with current conflict There is the much cited invention of the areas. They strengthen our consciousness of automobile in 1885 through Karl Benz (and social and environmental problems, questioning others). Benz did not try to fix or optimize the political and natural comprehension, horses, which were used for transportation spirituality, or the construction of identity. means before. Instead he disrupted mobility by coming up with something completely new. Humanity faces great challenges that must And no, it was not a one shot success. It took be mastered together. Creative revolts and him many years and he build up on the ideas free space for thought and experimenting are and inventions of many visionary and creative celebrated and defended by artists. Above people, till he finally succeeded. all, creatives always intentionally or intuitively draw from the inside, in the form of visions, Thus my suggestion, let us leapfrog given inspiration and images, and try to articulate them. They embrace various individual and more people to create impact and to inspire social processes and are the impetus for a change. Even if this approach dissents from the new way of life. Continuously artists develop widely claimed autonomy of art. a fresh sensibility for the here and now, The award explores this field, and seeks to remembering the moment or temporary raise attention for social art. Furthermore, the situations that need to be protected or further award aims at strengthening the recognition developed. Many focuses on the interior rather of social artists and the value of their work. than carry everything out to the outside and Hence, it cherishes the importance of social art reflect their self, and their actions in social for society. communities. It is highly appreciated that they create lively processes towards the path of change. How was the selection The Social Art Award appreciates those artists process? who enable diverse and cultural encounters in social processes.