A Non-Governmental Organization in Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC at the United Nations
The Faces of God Project
Inaugural United Nations Art Exhibition
Call for Submissions
The Purpose of Art is to Bring Light to the Darkness of
Men's Hearts
Dianna Ossana
Project Chair: George Negroponte, President, The Drawing Center
Curator: Lisa Farrell
Submissions are due by
December 5, 2006
Entry Form (PDF requires Adobe Reader.)
Dear Artist:
We would like to ask you to participate in a very important project called "Faces of God", which The New Seminary (TNS) will be presenting on January 11, 2007, at The United Nations Headquarters in New York. The competition is called Faces of God because so often there are stories in the news about selfless acts of love and compassion from war zones and from communities devastated by floods, earthquakes and tsunamis. Some stories are very personal and not highly publicized. There are so many selfless people who freely give in the name of love, compassion, community and peace. They could be manifestations of The Divine Universal Presence or God. They put a human face to God and represent the best of humanity. Thus the concept of "Faces of God" should be viewed metaphorically and not literally.
Works of art often express a sense of humanity by striving to connect us through the world of visual ideas. "Faces of God" is meant to inspire artists to create works that are imaginative and exciting. We hope to see work ranging from the intimate to the expansive, from the representational to the abstract. Artists are invited to create works which evoke compassion and sensitivity. We encourage inventiveness in any or all interpretations of this theme based on the mystery of the world around us.
The New Seminary views "Faces of God" as a diplomatic effort, that will hopefully demonstrate that art and religion can play an effective role in transforming conflict, and fostering understanding among communities. We believe that Faces of God will help the global community focus less on differences, and more on their shared moral and common values of peace, love and community building. Reverend Jay Speights of The New Seminary, New York, NY created "Faces of God".
Seventy-five pieces will be chosen for exhibition at the United Nations, and those artists will receive signed certificates from The New Seminary stating that their work was part of the Faces of God Exhibition at the United Nations.
Nine monetary awards will be given, and the winners of the awards will be invited to New York to participate in a fundraising reception at the United Nations.
SUBMISSIONS
A jury comprised of art professionals will judge submissions. Our jurors will be looking for a variety of subject matter and artistic interpretations. Motifs depicted should be unique to the artist's particular indigenous cultural experience. Entries will be evaluated on the basis of composition, technical merit, use of media, and the artist's ability to capture the essence of the chosen theme: a work of art depicting a manifestation of God or The Divine Presence in their communities through acts of compassion, conflict resolution, love and peace, and community building.
Submissions should be mailed to:
Faces of God
Attn: Rev. Jay Speights
1315 Jackson Street, NE
Washington, DC 20017
ELIGIBILITY
This is an international competition open to all artists, professional and amateur alike.
SUBJECT
A work of art depicting a manifestation of God or The Divine Presence in their communities through acts of compassion, conflict resolution, love and peace, and community building.
FORMAT
Original, two-dimensional art only. No sculpture, photography, prints, or computer-generated artwork will be accepted.
IMAGE SIZE
The total image size must be 18-inches by 24-inches or your image will be disqualified.
MEDIA
Oil, watercolor, scratchboard, acrylic, gouache, alkyd, tempera, mixed media, pastel, pencil, pen and ink, and batik are accepted. If you have a question regarding your media, please call or email us.
DEADLINE
All entries must be postmarked by December 5, 2006. No exceptions.
SLIDES
Submit two identical high quality 35 mm slides for each entry.
Label each slide on the front with
- The word TOP to indicate the top of the image
- Artist's last name
Slides will not be returned.
TIPS TO LOOK YOUR BEST
- Remember, your slides make your artwork's first impression.
- Slides should be of your image only. You don't want your frame, matte, fingers, or anything else in the slide.
- If you shoot the slide before you've signed the artwork, we will not have to mask out your signature.
- Do not tape your slides to the entry form. If you can't insert them on the entry form as indicated, we prefer that you put them in a plastic sleeve -- then tape the sleeve to the entry form.
- For trade secrets from our photographer on shooting your own slides, look here.
ENTRY FORMS AND FEES
A completed and signed entry form and one-time, non-refundable entry fee of US$75 ($50 for students) per artist must accompany your entries. Entries must be postmarked by July 30, 2006. Each artist's fee covers as many entries as they choose to make.
NGOs can sponsor an artist for $150.
Fees may be paid with Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or personal check, money order, or cashiers check.
We welcome multiple entries, and encourage you to photocopy the entry form as often as you need, BUT we prefer that you send all your entries in ONE envelope with ONE payment.
Please note: Regular copy paper is not heavy enough to send the reply card back through the mail. If you are using a photocopy of the entry form, or a printed copy from our Internet website, please also include a stamped, self-addressed envelope and we will return your confirmation receipt.
Please do not attach resumes, or any other information aside from the entry form and slides. The jurors do not see this; we do not have storage space for it, and will not return it.
TOP 75 NOTIFICATION
The Top 75 submissions will be selected through the slide judging process. Their names will be posted on The New Seminary Website, www.newseminary.org. Images will be selected based upon two slides of the original artwork. It is critical that your slide be of the highest quality. The 75 chosen will be requested to send original artwork to our office for the second jury viewing.
All artists whose artwork has been accepted into the second judging (Top 75) will be asked to send their original artwork to Faces of God Project at the artist's expense in a sturdy, reusable container.
These 75 works will be displayed at the January 11th reception at The United Nations. The 9 winning submissions will be selected from among these 75 submissions.
Each painting must be shipped in a separate container. Containers are required even for hand delivered artwork.
All paintings will be shipped back to the artist UPS COD unless other arrangements are made with Faces of God Project.
Your shipping and packaging material must be useful for the return of your paintings or you will be charged an extra fee for packing materials supplied by Faces of God Project.
No glass. Only Plexiglas glazing will be accepted. This is essential for the safety of the originals. (We may want to frame the work ourselves for a consistent look in the exhibition)
Check your insurance. UPS now insures original artwork for a maximum of $500. FedEx is $500 too. You are responsible for insuring the amount above what your shipper will cover.
We highly recommend AirFloat/StrongBox © containers for the shipment of all artwork. All Arts for the Parks participants earn a 20% discount on Strongboxes. Contact Brian White at AirFloat Systems, 800-445-2580. We use the Strongbox exclusively for the Top 75 Tour.
MONETARY AWARDS
Nine monetary awards will be given in the following categories:
| * Best Representation of The Divine Universal Presence | US$2000 |
| * Best Representation of Community Building | US$1000 |
| * Best Representation of Peace Building | US$1000 |
| * Best Representation of Love/Compassion | US$1000 |
| *Best Representation of Nature/Environment | US$1000 |
| *2 Cultural Representations of The Divine Universal Presence | US$1000 |
| *2 Best Youth/Student Representation | US$1000 |
The artists with the 9 winning submissions will also receive free air and ground expenses for The United Nations Reception.
DISPLAY AND SALE OF ORIGINAL ART
All entries submitted must be eligible for sale. Please state a valid price, reflecting current market value for your artwork. The Top 75 entries may be exhibited by the Faces of God Project for at least 12 months after the contest has concluded. During the exhibition period the Faces Of God Project shall have exclusive right to sell the paintings for such prices as the artist establishes. For any artwork sold, the Faces Of God Project shall be entitled to retain forty percent (40%) of the selling price as commission and shall remit sixty percent (60%) of the selling price to the Artist. An Internet auction will be held after the November reception. Fairly priced artwork usually sells. Unsold art remains the property of The New Seminary for one year. Art may be used in publications and web display on the New Seminary or sponsoring organization websites or print media.
COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT
Your signature on the entry form signifies compliance with the terms of display and sale, and all contest rules.
QUESTIONS
All questions should be directed to Jay Speights, the NGO Director at jayspeights@newseminary.org.