Legnica International Jewellery Competition 2012

21st. Legnica International Jewellery Competition RITUAL

Jewellery has its archetype in the amulet – an object of magical significance. It served as protection against misfortune, gave strength to its wearer, enhanced the feeling of security and showed that its wearers were aware of their identity and of being part of a community. Today’s marketing specialists constantly refer to such nostalgia, trying to convince us that the next charm, bead, key ring we buy is the very amulet which will satisfy our emotional needs. Electronic accessories play a similar role. They are only seemingly just functional, while in fact being constantly personalised, fine tuned, “private,” secured by an individual PIN. Affluenza – the epidemic of our times – has its symptoms in our excessive attention to useless gadgets, whose increasingly short stylistic life-span is an inherent feature of many of today’s products, which are quickly replaced by new, supposedly improved and more fashionable versions. The global recession is just beginning to revise this system of values based on ostentatious consumerism and jewellery has become a dubious attribute of being part of an establishment that is considered even more dubious today. Perhaps this is the best moment to critically reflect upon many – often justified – stereotypes which associate jewellery not only with superficial “living for show,” but even with exploitation, greed, a contradiction of democracy, unethical mining for gold or precious stones in regions engulfed in armed conflict. 

This year’s subject, RITUAL, is an invitation to reflect upon the present and future function of jewellery, which now more than ever before in the history of material culture needs a new justification for the purpose behind its use. An important point in the discussion on this topic was spurred by Gijs Bakker, a recent member of the jury in the Legnica competition, when he initiated the “Chi ha paura?” project. Many young artists and designers are also intuitively turning to the truly emotional aspect of jewellery, but doing so in a form that is radically different from that found in adverts in life-style magazines. The need to present many aspects of this necessary answer to new daily rituals – that are historically unchanging, but also appearing as a result of accelerating technological development have become a reason for yet another update and reinterpretation with an outlook toward the future.

Sławomir Fijałkowski
-2016-2016

The aim of the exhibition is to present the most interesting accomplishments of contemporary jewellery art. The submitted works should be jewellery in the broad sense of the term, display creativity as well as high standards of design and execution. The Organizers set no restrictions as to the materials and techniques employed but to honour the competition’s over 30-year-long tradition, the inclusion of silver in the work is expected.

1. The competition is open to all artists from Poland and abroad. 

2. There are no restrictions as to the number of works submitted by a participant, provided that:
– the copyright is with the artist,
– the works are submitted under the artist’s name,
– all the works submitted by the artist can be contained within a case measuring 40 x 40 x 35 cm; by the Organizer’s earlier permission, the arrangements can be made to accept objects of dimensions exceeding those specified above. 

3. The artist declaring his or her participation in the competition is obliged to:
– submit the objects, accompanied by a properly filled-in invoice and application form, sent or otherwise delivered (at the artist’s own expense) to the Gallery by the deadline of 28th March 2012 (the deadline concerns the actual arrival of the work, not the postmark).
– send the submitted works in an appropriate and secure packaging that will protect the objects from damage and can be re-used for returning them to the artist. 

4. The packages will be opened by a commission. 

5. The works not qualified for the exhibition will be returned by the end of August 2012 according to the instructions provided by the artist on the application form. 

6. Since the aim of the exhibition is to be exposed in other cities, the selected works will remain under the Organizers disposal till the end of July 2013, and then they will be send back to the participants till the end of July 2013 together with documentation of the work`s presentation.


AWARDS AND PRIZES IN THE COMPETENCE OF THE JURY 

I. Grand Prix: 10000 PLN (c.a 2220 euro)* + 1 kg of silver
II. 2nd Award: 5000 PLN (c.a 1110 euro)* + 1 kg of silver
III. Award of the Mayor of the City of Legnica: 3000 PLN (c.a 660 euro)* + 1 kg of silver
IV. Award of the Gallery of Art in Legnica: solo exhibition with catalogue worth 1000 euro
V. The Organizers’ Special Award for creative courage, uncompromising attitude, innovation or sense of humour: Statuette “Silver Spur” + 1 kg of silver 

* Exchange rate of EURO on 21.12.2011. Award in PLN will be converted to EURO in accordance with exchange rate on 12.05.2012, less tax due.

1. The Jury reserves the right to distribute the prizes in a manner different than specified above.
2. It has become the competition’s tradition that the winners of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Prize donate the prize-winning work (one work) to the Organizer – the Gallery of Art in Legnica – to augment its International Collection of Contemporary Jewellery. 

Prizes beyond the competence of the jury 

- Inhorgenta Award free stand at Inhorgenta in 2013: worth 2000 euro
- The Joachim Sokólski Award established by the Polish Modern Art Foundation: 1 kg of silver
- Polish Jewellery Award: advertisement in Polish Jewellery catalogue in 2013
- Award of Six Group: 1500 PLN (c.a. 330 euro)
- Honorable mention of the Director of the Gallery of Art in Legnica: diploma
- Honorable mention of the Goldsmithing Artists` Association: statuette and diploma. In this category the choice of the prize-winner is made by the founders of the award or upon their permission by the Jury.


The Gallery of Art in Legnica
59-220 Legnica, pl. Katedralny 1
tel. + 48 76 862 09 10; 862 06 94; 856 51 26; fax + 48 76 856 51 26
www.galeria.legnica.pl
e-mail: silver@galeria.legnica.pl, galeria@galeria.legnica.pl 

Director: Zbigniew Kraska
Chief Curator: Monika Szpatowicz, Magdalena Bańska
Chief Consultant: Sławomir Fijałkowski

Activities

DATE AND PLACE OF THE EXHIBITION 

4th May - 30th June 2012
Main event: 12th May 2012, 6.30 p.m.
Exhibition space: The Gallery of Art in Legnica, Plac Katedralny 1
The Organizers plan to present the exhibition in chosen cities in Poland and abroad.