The eThekwini Municipality is inviting visual artists to conceptualise and produce a public monumental art work (not less than 5 metres high) for the City’s first Annual Public Sculpture Competition.
Preliminary two-dimensional or three-dimensional visual ideas should be prepared for consideration by an independent adjudicating panel.
The artist of a winning entry will be commissioned to execute an artwork of monumental scale that will be installed in a strategic spatial spot in Durban. The creation should add to the existing aesthetic hallmarks of the City (such as the Moses Mabhida Stadium).
This work should serve as a major visual anchor that embraces the unique identity of Durban, and make a compelling statement about creativity and art in the age of numerous global changes.It must also enhance the status of Durban as a dominant cultural capital of the province of KwaZulu-Natal
Some of the qualities of innovativeness that competing artists should bear in mind include the following:
- The work should easily lend itself to being viewed as a compellingly appealing creation. This appeal should defy the passing of time and outsiders should wish to return to Durban in order to meditate in front of its grandeur.
- The work may possess both fine art and utilitarian qualities.
- The work should be controversial in terms of raising socially relevant issues that are often taken for granted. It should be forceful enough to kindle contestations around issues that are often treated as hot potatoes by ordinary citizens and those in positions of power.
- The work should be accessible through the senses of sight, touch and hearing (a highly developed technology can make this ideal come true without being environmentally unfriendly – no strain on energy resources). The artist may even use the work as a simulation of the City clock tower, marking the spot as a directional device even for the partially sighted.
- The work must be durable enough to defy deterioration factors. The winning artist will receive an amount of R 250 000. An appropriate production fee will be provided.
Entry Guidelines:
- Entry forms will be available at the Durban Art Gallery and the Natural Science Museum from the 6th of June 2011.All interested artists are required to submit the entry form, which must be accompanied by a proposal (this must include relevant visual aids such as drawings) and a CV with two contactable references by 30th June 2011 to the Durban Art Gallery. Submissions must be both in electronic and hard-copy form.
- A briefing session for interested artists will be held on the 6th of June 11 at 12H00at the Durban Art Gallery
- A shortlist of 7 artists will then be drawn up, and the selected artists will be asked to submit detailed proposals, including maquettes by 25th June 2011. The final work must be finished and ready for unveiling by the 23rd of September.
For more information contact the Durban Art Gallery Education Officer, Ms Witty Nyide on 031-3112274 or email NyideW@durban.gov.za
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