Overlooking the Seto Inland Sea from the west, YUKUHASHI City is situated in the north of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. During ancient times it was the site from which Kyushu specialty products were shipped to the capital as taxes, as well as the harbor from which ships set out for distant Korea and China. According to historical records, YUKUHASHI was one of the regions governed by the fabled Queen Himiko and is an area of historical significance. YUKUHASHI is a relatively small city with a population of only 70,000 people, but it is full of historical romance and local culture. In order to further enrich the cultural life of the local residents and improve the reputation of YUKUHASHI City, the city government has decided to hold this sculpture competition. The YUKUHASHI Sculpture Competition will be a biennale competition.
All experienced, professional sculptors, both domestic and foreign, are invited to submit proposals for consideration. One sculpture will be chosen as the Best Artwork, and 10 million yen will be awarded to the winning artist/artists. It is our sincere hope that the award-winning sculpture will be passed on to future generations as part of our cultural heritage.
The theme for this contest is “historical figures.” The artwork of the award winner will be displayed at public cultural facilities of YUKUHASHI City, such as the municipal library. Consequently, it is important that the historical figures depicted be familiar to local citizens. We look forward to entries from sculptors from around the world.
Awards and Prizes
Grand Prize (1) JPY10,000,000
The Grand Prize will not be awarded if no work is deemed worthy of the prize.
Artists must bear all production costs.
The ownership rights of the artwork will be transferred to YUKUHASHI City.
Citizens Award (1) JPY200,000
The winner will be decided by the citizens of YUKUHASHI City by popular vote.
The ownership rights of the maquettes of the whole statue and of the head will be transferred to YUKUHASHI City.
Award for Excellence (1-5) JPY100,000
All artists who have successfully completed the first round review are qualified to win this award.
Artwork Theme
Historical figures who have contributed to the development of civilization through their knowledge and intelligence.
Application Period
April 1, 2016 – June 30, 2016
Applicant Eligibility
All individuals or artistic groups (regardless of age or nationality) who can attend the social events related to this competition are welcome to submit entries. Each individual artist or group is eligible for one entry only. The sculptures submitted for entry should be unpublished.
Requirements
All entries must be figurative sculptures. They must be life-size or smaller, but not larger. The completed sculptures are to be made in bronze. Principally, nude sculpture is not accepted. The details regarding the size of the pedestal will be decided by the executive committee.
Application Procedure
Applicants should fill in the entry form and send the digital data of the maquettes of the entire sculpture and the head to the executive committee. Artists from Japan are required to attach proof of payment of the application fee (see below). The preferred height of the maquette of the whole figure is 50 cm. The maquette size itself should be basically the same whether the figure is standing or sitting. The head maquette should be actual size. Applicants have two ways of presenting their work via digital devices (as explained below).
Photos
80 photos are needed for both maquettes of the entire sculpture and the head. Photos should be taken from all angles except from directly below and be saved as JPEGs in CD-R or DVD-R discs for submission.
The backgrounds of the photos should not be monochrome, and should show the piece in perspective in a natural setting, avoiding a feeling of flatness. The pixel count should be around 8,000,000.
Videos
Artists need to submit a one-minute video of the maquettes of the entirety and the head. The