Art Moves Festival 2011

The International Art on Billboard Festival Art Moves is the only festival of billboard art in the world. The works presented in the urban space during the festival are divided into two categories – the main exhibition and the competition exhibition. For the competition exhibition, the most interesting pieces by young artists from all over the world are selected. These works constitute a creative artistic statement centred around the festival’s competition slogan. We prepare the topics for our annual competition in such a way, as to make them reflect the processes and social phenomena that shape the contemporary, global world. These topics are rooted in our deep sociological, psychological and philosophical considerations and they testify to our concern with the shape of the reality surrounding us. 747 artists from 55 countries entered the Billboard Art Contest this year. We received 1328 art works from Australia, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, South Korea, Indie, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Spain, and many others.

The substantial interest in the festival among the artists from all over the world points to the enormous potential of the idea behind the festival and of art presented in the public space.



This year the theme of the Art on Billboards Competition was "Reality or fiction? Let’s pretend it’s not there". This slogan can serve as a kind of metaphor of the processes taking place in the contemporary world. It raises the question of whether what we encounter in our daily life is real or fictional and whether it is possible to distinguish one from the other. Simultaneously, the slogan also invites the question of what we, as individuals and as a community, are trying to hide. Are there any specific phenomena, processes or events that we tend to intentionally ignore and pretend “they’re not there”?

These questions are not only concerned with the negative social processes such as the breakdown of interpersonal relationships, but also with the way media shape people’s outlook on reality by preferring to inform primarily about negative events and treating positive phenomena as not exciting enough for the contemporary viewer.

Does the Internet, this state of the art medium of communication, helps us reach the truth or rather drags us into the world of fiction? Do new, technologically advanced means of communication help or hinder our contact with reality? There could be many other interpretations of the competition slogan and there are also many different answers to the questions posed by it. We think that the question of what is real and what is fictional is a very meaningful one. If we stop asking ourselves what is and what is not real, what we notice and what we overlook, how will we be able to say who we are and what world we really live in?



International Jury:

• Marcos Ramirez ERRE - artist - Tijuana, Mexico / San Diego, CA

• Ken Lum - artist - Vancouver, BC Cesar Garcia - curator LAXART - Los Angeles, CA

• Rafał Góralski - artist, Art Moves Festival Director - Toruń, Poland

They selected 10 most interesting projects which will be displayed on billboards in the competition exhibition of Art Moves Festival 2011.

The authors of the selected works are:

• Jean-Philippe Paumier - The Netherlands

• Ivaylo Gueorgiev & Eric Pitra - USA

• Vassilina Pljonkina - Estonia

• Mark Adams - Great Britain

• Céline Wouters - The Netherlands

• Aimee-Rose Stephenson - New Zealand / United Arab Emirates

• Monica Fraile Morisson - France

• Sarah Clifford-Rashotte - Canada

• Ivo de Jeu - The Netherlands

The Festival starts on the September 16, 2011 in Toruń. 10 works assessed as the most interesting ones will be displayed on billboards in the competition exhibition of the Festival.

During the main exhibition, on the other hand, the works of renowned and highly regarded artists from all over the world (among others: USA, Great Britain, Canada) are presented. During this edition of the festival, outstanding artists are to be given the Art Moves Festival Special Award for the second time. This year, the winners are Ken Lum (Canada) and Marcos Ramirez ERRE (Mexico/USA).

Ken Lum is a renowned Canadian artist associated with conceptual art. His works are concerned mainly with the problem of identity. Marcos Ramirez ERRE is an interdisciplinary artist, creating gigantic installations in the public space. His works are permeated with social and political awareness. For many years now, he has been the mediator in the dialogue between the cultures of the borderland.

The festival has been co-funded by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, theLocal Authorities of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region and Toruń Municipality.

Art Moves Festival was held under the honorary patronage of Piotr Całbecki, Marshal of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region and Michał Zaleski, President of Toruń.

Media sponsorship: Polskie Radio, TVP Kultura, Arteon, O.pl, artinfo.pl, cowtoruniu.pl, TVK Toruń, STGU, Gazeta Wyborcza.

Contact: artmoves@o2.pl

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