The Non-governmental Organization «Green Cross Belarus» in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus and in association with Art Teachers' Union announces the 18th International Contest of Art and Graphics «In My Homeland».

Contest themes:

• In My Land – traditional free theme of the contest.
• Restorers and Restoration – additional theme of the contest.There is hardly another profession closer to that of an artist than a restorer. Yet, it is quite rare that we can see paintings of restorers or of objects they restore and preserve for posterity.

The range of these objects varies from old buildings or entire architectural complexes to interiors. Restorers work with sculptures in parks and squares, with buildings' exteriors. They revive the original paint layers of canvases and icons, restore furniture, historic apparel and national dress, books, etc. The list of things these professionals preserve for future generations is endless.

Restorers' task is by no means a mere remodeling. They must conserve and restore an object making sure the traces of time that reflect its historic value remain intact.

We hope this new theme will inspire our applicants' creative impulses, which will result in original and exciting artwork for our jury to consider.

New techniques

Today's art space is characterized by an ever growing number of new drawing techniques that help artists depict the world around them and express their attitude to it.

This year we are increasing the number of nominations: in addition to traditional techniques we encourage applicants to create collages and aquatipia works.

Collage

Have you ever noticed how much our life resembles a collage? Isn't it, like a collage, made up of various bits and pieces: home, family, school, friends, love, hobbies, travels, conversations, music, films, etc? Each of these numerous pieces has its own size, emotional value, color, shape, texture, and significance we allocate to it depending on the role it plays in the canvas of our life.

By the way, the name collage originates from the French word meaning TO GLUE. There are a few different forms of collage – paper, magazine, art and even floral. This technique allows gluing, layering and combining totally different elements as long as it agrees with the author's concept.

When one starts a collage, the result is impossible to predict. How will fragments of color paper, cardboard and newspaper come together in each particular project? There is no answer or prearranged solution. This is an amazing opportunity for experiment!

Conventionality! Symbolism! Generalization! Experiment! Collage presents a new way of depicting both familiar themes and new ones as well as of expressing our emotional attitude to the things we depict.

Aquatipia

Aquatipia technique allows creating unpredictable color and texture effects. The name originates from two words : Latin AQUA (water) and Ancient Greek τύπος (print). Water colors, gouache, acrylic paints or oils spread over a glass surface leave a spectacular color blotch on paper pressed to it. An artist's objective is to discern an image in this blotch and by adding finishing touches to turn it into a piece of art.

Leonardo da Vinci himself advised young artists to develop imagination by practicing the skill of seeing hidden images in blotches left by water, dirt or ash piles.

Aquatipic drawings can be truly original and surprising. This technique requires the ability to find balance between a random impression and an artist's addition to it.

PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Applicants should be between 5 and 18 years of age.
2. Artwork should be creative, original and performed entirely by its author in the current year.
   NB ALL ARTWORKS WILL BE CHECKED FOR PLAGIARISM.
3. Artwork dimensions are at the author's discretion, no framing. Please attach a registration form filled in with block letters to the back. Download the form
4. No works will be reviewed by the jury or returned to their authors. The contest organizers reserve the right to use the originals and copies of the artworks to popularize and promote the contest as well as for their educational and charitable activities without asking for the author's consent or paying the author's fee.

APPLICATIONS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED FROM OCTOBER 1, 2022 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2022.

WORKS are to BE MAILED TO THE FOLLOWING POSTAL ADDRESS:

Non-governmental Organization «Green Cross Belarus»

Contest «In My Homeland»

222201, Minsk oblast, Smolevichi, the Republic of Belarus

(The provided postal address is complete. The works will be picked up directly from the post office by the organizers.)

We ask all the participants to use the services of REGULAR or EMS post. DO NOT INDICATE the value (price) of the goods on parcels.

RESULTS OF THE CONTEST:

The jury will consider all applications in February 2023 and name winners / diploma recipients in all nominations. The awarded works will be used to compile an exhibition.

The 18th INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION OF ART AND GRAPHICS «IN MY HOMELAND» is to be opened in April 2023.

In addition, the awarded works will be available for online viewing at www.children-art.org, the official website of IN MY HOMELAND project.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

(+375 17) 392 88 02, (+375 29) 667 57 80
info@children-art.org, www.children-art.org