The 2nd NATC - Liv Arts Technology Arts Contest

I'm really happy to announce that this year's organising committee for the 2nd NATC - Liv Arts Technology Arts Contest includes Luca Varaschini, Leslie Lumeh and Manfred Zbrzezny. We had a brainstorming meeting today to decide the theme, how to make the contest more inclusive and which mediums to include. 

Leslie Lumeh is a well known Liberian artist, both locally and internationally. In fact, he was featured recently on CNN. His work is beautiful and, masterfully captures Liberian landscapes, society and every day scenes. Leslie collaborated with us last year for our first contest and, we are so happy to have him with us again. The art contest's title bears his organisation's name, too: Liv Arts. 

Luca Varaschini has collaborated with NATC on its season greeting cards. Luca designed our 2014 card. He also helped us with last year's Art Contest. He designed the flyer and, helped to design the card with the winning painting by Duke Appleton. Besides that, Luca has always lent us a helping hand with any design project. He has also kindly designed some flyers for Mama Susu's famous buffets. Not only is Luca a most talented and intuitive graphic artist and illustrator but the most inspiring thing about him is how much he loves Liberia and, has made an effort to come back to the land he was born in.

Manfred Zbrzezny is a German blacksmith who resides in Liberia and, has made a name for himself by converting arms into art work. His studio is called FYRKUNA Metalworks. He work can be seen in some select spots in Monrovia and, he also sells individual pieces: sculptures, book ends, bottle openers and mobiles. Manfred's work is striking and imaginative, transforming tools of death and war into immortal art. 

Today's meeting was very interesting and energetic. We decided on a theme: Technology - hurting or helping. The title is quirky and, hopefully, will inspire some interesting and exciting interpretations. The artistic personalities on this organising committee have suggested opening the contest to all mediums: sculpture, photography and painting. It was decided the judging and exhibition of the pieces will be done separately, unlike last year. Finally, we will open it to the public by placing an ad in the newspapers and, anyone above the age of 18 can participate. If all goes well, we 'll have the exhibition by the beginning of November. 

But the most interesting idea of this year's competition is that we will have 12 winners who will be featured in a calendar. We will also have a popular prize. 

We hope to have a great event this year and, by doing so, promote Liberian artists and artistic expression and interpretation of technology's impact on life and society. 

First 2016 Technology Art Contest meeting

We held our first meeting to start thinking about this year's technology art contest. Leslie Lumen of Liv Arts came to the office to start brainstorming ideas on how to make this year's contest more exciting and even more widespread!

Second visit to the art school

I went to the Visual Arts Academy in Sinkor for a second visit to talk to artists who would be interested in the Art Contest around the theme of technology. We had a good discussion. 

It was agreed we would have an application form for interested artists, provide art materials and give 7 to 10 days for the artist to submit an original work. The piece will be 20 " by 27". 

As for the question that the artists are meant to interpret, it is "What does technology mean to you."

Earlier I had thought maybe the theme would be "technology and Liberia" but the more I think about it,  it is restricting and becomes more of a stylised competition to try to capture the challenges of accessing technology in Liberia or creating a political propaganda statement about how technology would harness Liberia's growth. I don't think it would really unleash an artist's creativity. So, I think it is more humble to just try to get an individual artist's point of view! 

Stay tuned for the contest. 

At the Art School

I went to the art school at Alliance Francaise to meet some artists who would be interested in participating in an art contest around the theme of technology in Liberia. The winner of the competition would have his/her painting featured on NATC's 2015 Christmas/New Year cards. This a preliminary meeting to see who would be interested and to talk about the theme of technology.

I also offered my critique on some of the work of the artists. It was such a pleasure to meet them and talk about art. 

Thanks so much to the one and only Leslie Lumeh for organising this meeting.