SCB Europe Region’s call to promote the
“Art of the CARPATHIANS”
Ukraine’s western region Transcarpathia bursts with natural beauty as a big portion of the Carpathian Mountains occupies its territory. Protected areas, such as three national parks and the Carpathian Biosphere Reserve have been established there. The well-known Valley of Wild Daffodils, the Lake of Synevyr, the waterfall of Shipot, and the Mount Hoverla are just a few of the natural treasures that can be found in these reserves and national parks and have inspired several painters in the past.
Boksay Josif - Flock on the field, 1950, 149 x 130 cm, oil on canvas, source: Bokshay Museum
Keeping those protected areas safe from destruction, even during the current international situation, is a pressing issue. Traditional knowledge of animal farming and a sustainable way to live together with nature characterize the area and this knowledge must be inherited. Moreover, many artists find inspiration in the mountain tops, river valleys and forests of the Carpathians. The Transcarpathian school of art is traditionally based on impressionistic, and postimpressionistic principles of plein-air painting and this legacy continues nowadays. With this award SCB Europe aims to promote the value of this area and not-only its importance in biodiversity conservation but also as a source of creative inspiration for artists, whose work is essential in our cultural growth and human well-being.
Manaylo Fedir - Vineyards, 1973, 79 x 90 cm, oil on canvas, source: Bokshay Museum
In this art project, we invite visual artists, painters, and graphical artists, to show how they perceive the natural beauty of the Transcarpathian mountains, national parks, and the Biosphere Reserve. If you have not been to Transcarpathia, or you are not a plein-air artist, you are still encouraged to take part in this project. You may not have had the chance to visit this part of the world yet in person but you can visit the places online for creative inspiration!
The applications will be judged by the Europe Region of the Society of Conservation Biology (SCB) and by Transcarpathian fine and applied artists. The selected works will be shown in a digital exhibition at the 7th European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB), in Bologna, Italy.
The awards are:
1st Prize- Paintings 300 euro + exhibition of the piece at ECCB 2024*
2nd Prize- Graphics 300 euro + exhibition of the piece at ECCB 2024*
*The digital exhibition or in case the international situation allows an on-site exhibition will be organized for every piece of art.
The application must include:
- A short bio of the artist, max. 500 words (English language, pdf format).
- A photo/reproduction of the original artwork from 2023-2024, in minimum 300 DPI. The theme must be inspired by the Transcarpathian national parks and the Biosphere Reserve.
- Description and interpretation of the artwork inspired by the selected natural wonder. No more than 200 words (English language, pdf format).
Deadline: 30.04.2024
To apply, send your application to: europe@conbio.org.
The subject of the email must be: Art of the Carpathians_YourName
You can visit the following sites, to get to know more about the art of this region:
The painting collection of THE TRANSCARPATION ART MUSEUM NAMED AFTER JOSZEF BOKSAY: https://bokshaymuseum.com.ua/collection/?c=ZH&m=ABCD
The site of the IMRE REVESZ SOCIETY OF TRANSCARPATHIAN HUNGARIAN FINE AND APPLIED ARTISTS: https://reveszimretarsasag.hu/en/alkotok
The TRANSCARPATHIAN REGIONAL ORGANIZATION OF UKRAINE’S NATIONAL ARTIST ASSOCIATION: https://www.facebook.com/zakartunion/
You can find more information about the national parks, and the Biosphere Reserve on these sites:
LET THE NATURAL BEAUTY OF THE TRANSCARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS INSPIRE YOU!
On the way to mountain Petros