784 artists from 62 countries entered the contest “Where is the meaning? At the top or at the bottom?”. We received 1450 artworks from Europe, Africa, North and South America, Australia and Asia! The competition slogan could be treated as a metaphor of all the processes taking place in the world at the moment. We live in the time of crisis and we perceive it as a disease of sorts – a disease, we would like to treat as quickly as we can. On the other hand this “disease” can be the only chance for us to slow down a bit in our fast-paced world and think again about where we are heading and why we chose this particular direction. Are we happy with the way the reality we created works? Are we reaching for the top or for the bottom? Are we happy with the goals we are setting for ourselves? Are these goals ours or are they imposed on us? Where is the meaning? Can it be placed on a map? Has it evaporated? Does the meaning of our existence lie in the constant maximization of profit, accumulation of goods, consumption, wealth, being on top? Or can it be found in escaping, isolating oneself, denying reality, hiding and living in the middle of nowhere? Or maybe, it is better to find new solutions that would allow us to make a better use of the goods created and developed by humanity and use them so that they help us be happier, have better relationships with people, take care of ourselves, our loved ones and reality? How can we find a satisfactory solution? Where can we find the meaning?
The jury panel composed of artists and curators, including: Mark Titchner (artist, London, GB), Gavin Wade (artist-curator, Director of Eastside Projects, Birmingham, GB), Adam Niklewicz (artist, North Haven, Connecticut, USA), Joanna Górska (artist, curator, Art Moves Festival art director, Toruń, Poland) selected 10 most interesting projects which were exhibited on billboards in the competition component of Art Moves Festival 2012. The jury decided to confer the main award of 12000 PLN to Michał Leśniczak and Maria Wawrzyniak from Poland.