BAC '16 Report (Eng.version)

The 2016 was turning out to be an unfuitful year. I was trying to work as a professional artist in a Country where art is not considered a real job and, moreover, I was also trying to restore the old family's shop and turn it into my first atelier... well... theese two things were keeping me from doing my job. So, due to the impossibility of making some money, with all the  obvious psycological consequences, I decided to take care of me and my works of art in a new way. I chosen the way of art contests. Not so comfortable option... it can give you huge satisfactions or terrible sadness... but, I mean, It's always better than wait for one year for a changing and being patient, right?

So I searched the right contest to start with. For me was not easy to find the perfect one. According to my personality, if I have to prove myself, I must do it in the most serious way. So, that contest had to be important, serious, It had to mean a real opportunity for me (in one way or another). And it had to be a big challenge... Even if, I know, the real challenge for me is trusting myself enough to try.

Then I found Biancoscuro Art Contest: international event at its third edition, produced by Biancoscuro Art Magazine. Fortunately I already knew this magazine. Serious, qualified, interesting.

It immediately seemed to me a reassuring environment. They offered maximum promotion for all the competitors (web site, social networks and magazine), downloadable and printable certificate of attendance, an international jury (and obviously I searched all the possible infos about it) whom had to check every single artwork and, not least, free technique and free theme.

And the prizes? Biancoscuro’s covers, personal end collective exhibitions, plaques of merit (possibility to win a personal catalogue, due to citizen jury vote) and… awards ceremony at Montecarlo Bay Resort in Monte-Carlo (Principality of Monaco)!!!

As every other important art contest it had a little amount to pay for each artwork presented. Affordable and honest price. For my poor pockets, one piece of art was enough to participate with.

I decided to enter Andromeda, my life-size Black Mummy (or Rubber Doll…as you prefere) in the contest (obviously in the sculpture category).

It’s the end of April.

Drive to the photographer (with my big Mummy sitting on the passenger seat and wearing its safety belt);

Watch shocked people on the way, falling off their bikes for seeing this strange big rubber humanoid sitting in a car;

Pay the bill;

Fill out the online registration;

Try to manage the “bungee jumping level” adrenalin… and GO! The magical experience starts!

In few days Biancoscuro publish the first updates (on website and social networks). Wonderful! In my mind I thought to have no news for months. But I found that the organization rules and the first promise of the organizers has been kept: maximum promotion for all the competitors.

The competition enrollment was not closed yet, but it was already possible (for the citizen jury) to vote for the first artworks.

They kept giving us news and updates for all the period.

In June, they published the list with all the competitors and together with it, all the certificates of attendance.

In that period I was focused on my real life… That life in which you would like to kill your accountant and you would like to open that f***ing atelier.

And the art contest? I guess somebody will win it.

But suddenly, in July, real life switch its priorities.

I receive an e-mail with the list of the 100 finalist artists.

My name is among those names.

What????

Happiness!!!!

It’s time to get in contact with the organizers. I have to send Andromeda to the headquarters, the jury needs to view it.

Biancoscuro is extremely helpful, patient and well organized. They have no problem to give me all the information and the details about shipment and packaging. I also have the possibility to avail of the express courier they use to collaborate with. Easy!

If only it were so easy to find the right package for Andromeda, protect it by the impacts and… most of all… weigh everything…

Likely, friends are always ready to lend a helping hand… and the greengrocers use to have giant balances!

Finally my Mummy leaves home for its first “solo” travel!

Anxiety!

But the day after I receive an e-mail where Biancoscuro informes me that Andy is fine: “Dear Mrs Laura, your sculpture arrived safe and sound”… Ok, sounds good.. I guess I like this people a lot!

I have to wait for one month to see Andromeda again.

In August, all the artworks were published in Biancoscuro Magazine. My beloved sculpture is among them…. Even if I don’t win any prize, maybe somebody will notice it anyway… I hope.

Being one of the finalists is something of very exciting.

An incredible satisfaction.

I never thought it would really happen to me… and this is already a real victory.

Above all, a victory over my lower self-esteem.

Every day is one more day of happyness and I try to enjoy every single moment.

Finally comes the day of the verdict. The organizers let us know that the jury took its decision and our works of art are coming back home. One hour later the express courier is already ringing the bell (not even the time to do the bank transfer for the shipment!). I run downstairs to welcome Andromeda back and I find a shocked delivery guy looking at the package in a ridiculous way. “I supposed it was your usual box of Amazon books”… no man, you’re out of luck today. It’s a giant rubber mummy to handle with care… sorry!

In the next days Biancoscuro choose the suspense as a way of living… and, as Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice would best say: "Have you no consideration for my poor nerves?"

The news come in homeopathic doses.

-First mail (together with its publication on the web): “The jury took its decision. Winners list coming soon”.

Ok, calm and cool. I won nothing. Anyway I thank you kindly for allowing me the finals and the consequent euphoric months.

-Second mail (again with its update on the web): “List of the winners. Please wait for the Biancoscuro Director’s official e-mail”

Take a look at the list… in alphabetical order… My name (again?!?!) is there.

Ok, calm and cool. I won. I won something but obviously… in the name of the suspense, I don’t know what!

I have to wait for the Director’s mail. Thanks a lot!

From that moment, night and day, every mail that comes I jump like a cat with a cucumber.

And every time the e-mail is about something else.

Mr Vincenzo Chetta wants us to wait… yes… in the name of the suspense!

But I must admit that this is a brilliant plan. Now the web site has tones of views more than usual and this is a bonus point… also for me!

Every artist would like to have some information, nobody have it, so let’s start to get in contact with each other… and this is another bonus point!

I know, a prize is always a prize… and a prize in a cool contest is a cool prize. Besides, in this case, every prize was cool. Full stop.

But the curiosity grows up and you can’t help but thinking to Monte-Carlo. Are you hoping it? Do you believe it? I don’t know, but something inside me wants to find the biggest prize written in that e-mail.

And the e-mail arrives… I quit breathing… My heart stops beating… and a second later I’m dancing with the vacuum cleaner (it’s an excellent dancer).

First Prize for sculpture category.

IV cover on the October-November issue of  Biancoscuro Art Magazine.

I felt like during the football World Cup 2006 finals! I was so excited and happy and euphoric!

The award ceremony is on September the 24^th at Montecarlo Bay Resort. A fairy tale place! One day before I’m on the flight to Nizza, flying alone for the first time. I have the right dress, the (of distance) support of the people who loves me, I have two days only for myself… and I have a first prize at the first international art contest I participate.

Bye bye normal life, see you soon!

I’m at the Montecarlo Bay Resort one hour in advance… Arriving earlier then necessary should be a good way to introduce myself to the other artists as soon as they reach the venue. It “should”…But today I’m more shy and nervous than usual (and speechless as well).

The audience is crowded. The technical jury is already seated at the big table. Official photographer and video camera are ready. And the pictures of all our artworks are projected on a big screen behind the people who judged Andy worthy of this award.

We are the first people called to receive the prize: the winners of the Biancoscuro Covers: painting, sculpture, graphic design and photography.

The ceremony is presented by Mr Vincenzo Chetta (Director of Biancoscuro Art Magazine), Mrs Daniela Malabaila (Editor in chief) and Mrs Mariarosaria Belgiovine (art critic and gallerist).

I know, this is not the first time I receive an award (during this summer I participate at Contea di Ceneda and Tarzo art contest and I got a honorable mention…  I also got many sports medals in the past) and it’s not the first time I have to speak in front of so many people and shake hands… but I’m very scared today, so I’m speechless and I only say a couple of words... and I forget to shake hands of the jury. Good, Laura! Know this: you were streaming in the internet… and this stumble will remain there forever!

streaming video here (you can start loughing from min.6)

Anyway, in Monte-Carlo I had the opportunity to meet people I only knew because of their internet profiles. And I find that they are helpful, very kind and friendly. Everyone with their own personal vision of art and their own experience to share.

In particular, I would like to thank Mrs Daniela Malabaila because she has been able to worm my heart telling me how Andromeda was a “presence” during the period it spent in their studio and how everybody liked it from the very first moment.

It’s been almost a month since Monte-Carlo.

Biancoscuro’s October-November issue was published five days ago, both in the paper version and online. I suggest you to by one copy of it (at least one…) but you can also take go through it here:

Biancoscuro #18

You can see Andromeda at page 130 (“Over the Cover”) and in the article from page 36 to 39.

Here I will not add any screenshot or photo, first because it’s not right to do, and second because I would like you to read the entire issue. It’s very interesting and… who knows… maybe it might come in handy for you in the future!

Together with article and biography you can find also some picture of other artworks of mine (with relative caption): “Heart in your hands”, “The broken toy” (honorable mention at Ceneda and Tarzo art contest), “Acrobat” and “Lucia with Mazzariol” (from my book “El Mazzariol” – Amazon 2015).