By Michael Gannon
It’s hard to take a hands-off approach to some things…
But I felt I had to take a hands-off approach in my conversations with artists when it came to offering ideas or examples of what they could submit. I felt it was better to let them be inspired, to let them imagine on their own, and I considered that even if I were to come up with a proposal that seemed great to me, it wouldn’t bear fruit because it had to originate from their own artistic mind and imagination and heart. But it was an urge that was hard to resist! I understood the theme, I felt passionate about the project, I was talking with any artist that would listen, and I wanted to impulse their engagement. Plus, we were doing this for the first time and eager to see our first submission arrive.
I remember inviting two artists to participate by creating a piece and submitting. Both were intrigued and asked me for ideas. The urge swelled inside me to give them some off the cuff examples of what I would do if I were an artist. I had to bite my tongue really hard not to give any ideas. I had to settle with pointing them to the theme and let the idea develop on its own within them.
The first artist never submitted a piece because the concept never took on a form in her mind that she could visualize. And that is OK, this competition is not meant to inspire every artist to participate by direct submission.
The second artist batted around ideas for months. She knew the competition was for her. But she was busy with being a full time art teacher and working on her Masters of Fine Arts in the evenings. She finally decided on the idea but she was having trouble making time to sit down and materialize it. Nevertheless, she followed through…and ended up being chosen by the renowned panel of six international judges as one of the eleven winners. We both shared in the joy of seeing her piece “The Matrix” unveiled at the United Nations building in New York on October 3rd, 2011.
Artists can communicate truths in life that may remain otherwise hidden. They can stir thoughts and emotions that are capable of inspiring individuals to aspire to an ideal or a higher good that was not known of, understood or visible prior to contact with the artistic creation facing them.
This is the beautiful challenge that artists face today:
- What do I communicate?
- What do I inspire?
- Can I evoke good reactions and encourage others to make acts of compassion, care and love?
Bioethics Global Art holds that YES. The effects of your artwork may never be known to you, but we are sure that they will be positive and lasting ones. Toss your pebble into the calm waters of this Competition and watch the ripples reach far and wide. This is our challenge to you, Artist of the Globe.
About Michael Gannon
The US Executive Director of the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and Human Rights. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Management from University Anahuac, Mexico City. He also graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree in Religious Sciences from the Athenaeum Pontificium Regina Apostolorum, in Rome, Italy. He lives in Atlanta, and works as a management and enterprise intelligence consultant.