What Is It?
Art Battle, the global live art tournament, is coming to Joburg this March! In front of a live audience, artists compete and create; transforming blank canvases into finished works. Celebrating young artistic talent all around the world, Art Battle encourages audiences and artists alike to compete, debate and have fun. The first Art Battle paint-off spectacle will happen at the opening of the Night of 1000 Drawings Festival of Art, at Victoria Yards, adding a heightened dimension to this festival which has steadily become a firm favourite among local artists, art and culture enthusiasts and socialites.How It Works?
Following the Night of 1000 Drawings exhibition, 16 Gauteng-based artists will compete against the clock. Vying for audience votes by expressing their deepest talents, these artists will transform their canvases into complete artworks. You surely won't want to miss the experience of watching these evolving, individual creations live in action! In three 20-minute rounds, the audience cast their votes to determine who wins. Spurred on by the vibey party atmosphere of DJs and live music, the audience also actively help shape the creative process and inspire the artists to push their artistic boundaries further than ever. Fun fact: Since 2001, more than a million votes have been cast at Art Battle events around the world! Four competitors voted in during the first two rounds will then go into the final round. The winner of this round gets into the South African National Art Battle Championships in October 2020 – at which only one champion will emerge. He or she will then represent South Africa at the International Art Battle Championships in Tokyo at the end of October.
Where It All Began
Art Battle was created in 2001 in New York City, with the first event on the Houston Street thoroughfare. Interested people poured in to watch six artists compete in black and white as they created an artwork, in one 90-minute round. The environment for artists in New York at that time was one of stiff competition; with few opportunities for young, ambitious artists looking to become the next big thing."The environment in Johannesburg and other South African cities is similarly competitive and ambitious," says Michael Walker of SL8, pioneer of the local Art Battle initiative. "Plus, there are even tougher social and economic barriers to success. Everyone deserves an opportunity to show their commitment to their dreams. Art Battle provides this and lets the people decide who deserves a chance at global recognition."
He added, "South Africa has so many talented and charismatic, established and emerging artists. There are hidden gems, of all ages and from all walks – and for some, creating art isn't a profession, yet becoming a full-time artist one day, is their dream. Art Battle is the perfect opportunity to catapult all types into the limelight, to further establish themselves or get notice."
So, whether you're a professional artist or an undiscovered gem, Art Battle wants you! To sign up as an artist for the Art Battle event in Johannesburg, visit www.artbattle.com/artists.
