Well call me gobsmacked! In a recent local competition, it was announced on opening night that the judge had elected to not award the prize in a particular section. O.K., it says in the rules that if the judge deems the entries in any section to be insufficiently meritorious, then he need not award that prize.
However…… apparently the real story is that the sponsor simply did not like any of the entries for his boardroom wall, and so threatened to withdraw his sponsorship money! He elected to make a purchase from a different section instead. So the judge may or may not have found the entered works up to scratch, we will never know. How corrupt that a sponsor has ANY input into the judging process, never mind the power to himself judge an entire section not worthy!!!
This same sponsor has in previous years returned his awarded painting, and has instead demanded to swap it for something more to his taste from the galleries permanent collection.
Shows us all how much money talks doesn’t it. What a tragic indictment of the whole farce.
Arletta
That does sound bad. Well, mind you, if the sponsor prefers one piece over another that is their own lookout, based on personal preference. But, if where they hang it and what is hung up is part of the contest, then they should not be involved in the process at all, you are right. And they should never, never be involved in the judging, unless they are completely running the contest from the get go – where everyone knows that their input is the final say. It’s not that hard for them to at least do that much, so people know what they are getting into! Anything else is, I think, criminal on the part of the sponsors and judges.
Marion Chapman
Absolutely disgusting behaviour by the Sponsor and the judge was weak to cave in. This is an interesting insight to judging and shows, i had never before considered this kind of bullying in art shows. i wonder if it is common.
Kieran Sturgeon
it would be soooo much easier if they just came right out at the start and said I want a piece that has this, this and that. And dispense with the charade of calling it a competition and just call it commission. I am of the opinion that we (the local artists) should start our own competition, have a collection amongst entrants for the prize (could be cash, or a prize, or just acknowledgemnet), maybe even some regal high faluting name for award. No names on any pieces (except on the back, so we know when collecting there are no mix ups). Get a judge (this could be hard part) or just have only the public decide (that way they not badgered into being told what good art is but what they seem to value as good art themselves). If only i had the motivation at this point to go through with it.
Kieran Sturgeon
Or maybe just encourage artists to bouycot the section with that sponsor.
GloriaDK
Oh well, sad to say in some sections of society money speaks all languages. After you guys get into your senior years you will have found just how many control freaks there are out there. Being the independent coot that I am I shy away from having anything to do with that type of person or peoples…if people like my work fine, if not then my family will have a headache getting rid of them all.
In ‘99 a friend and I started an Artist and Designers group of which I was the Co-ordinator and President, none of the control thing here, I was elected!! We were a bunch of alumni and held 6 successful multi media exhibitions in some nice galleries here in Brisbane over two years, metal, ceramics, painting etc. We worked as a team and enjoyed ourselves and our sponsor for one was BB’s who supplied us with mini muffins. For that they had a mention in our catalogue and coffee breaks from grateful artists.
degillett:
Love your work , Gloria Good to see an independent mind can outsmart the mob proclaiming the emperor’s new clothes!