Osten Biennial Of Drawing Skopje 2024

OSTEN BIENNIAL (organized by OSTEN Skopje, North Macedonia) is an event open to everything that is new and is much more comprehensive than the traditional one, giving priority to works that break the old and worn-out art matrices, works that have a specific artist's mark or hint at an attempt for stepping outside the established academic rules, into the free space of creation. The Biennial challenges artists to push conventional boundaries, both in terms of the use of techniques, tools and media, and in terms of creative freedom of expression. So - feel free to submit your most innovative and creative works, regardless of form, technique or medium. All are welcome: paintings, drawings, prints, objects, installations, art-videos, multimedia art... because we believe that the IDEA is primary, and the performance is a means of expression. Drawing remains to be the honesty in art… (Salvador Dali) The OSTEN BIENNIAL offers the opportunity for artists aged 18+ to participate in two categories: INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION, and GROUP PARTICIPATION (up to 7 artists), where the group can register with: JOINT CONCEPT (with separate works by group members united around the concept) JOINT WORK (one work created by all group members with group authorship) * For groups over 7 artists - in separate communication with the Organizer. The possibility of group participation is our contribution to encouraging collaboration between artists.    CONDITIONS for PARTICIPATION    For REGULAR PARTICIPATION the artist should:

• Submit the ONLINE APPLICATION FORM along with a short bio and portrait photo (for promotional activities of the Biennial)
• APPLY WITH (up to five) WORKS created between 2020-2024 (the works that consist of more parts – diptych, triptych, polyptych – are to be consider as one work).
• ATTACH DIGITAL IMAGES of the work/s, as an integral part of the online application (obligatory full photo of the work/s + optional details) in .jpg .png or .tiff format (300dpi), maximum 2MB/photo.

* Keep in mind the FORMAT OF THE PHOTOS, as they will be used for the catalog of the Biennial, if selected. * By sending the ONLINE APPLICATION, the artist agrees that the organizer will use, exhibit, study and publish her/his work/s for the needs of the OSTEN BIENNIAL and the OSTEN Museum. * The SELECTED WORK (exhibited at the official exhibition and presented in the catalog) by the AWARDED ARTISTS and FINALISTS shall remain within the collection of OSTEN Museum, and the donation of the other submitted works to the collection of the OSTEN Museum is optional. ONLINE APPLICATION DEADLINE – 31 March 2024  IMPORTANT!!! At this stage artists should not send the original works. Only FINALISTS will be informed to send their original works after the selection process.    PARTICIPATION FEE    PARTICIPATION FEE for the OSTEN BIENNIAL Skopje 2024 is: 55 EUR for INDIVIDUALS | 120 EUR for GROUPS Participation fee can be paid: Via the LINKS BELOW - RECOMMENDED!!! or Via BANK TRANSFER by using the following bank details: Beneficiary:        OSTEN ART SKOPJE Address:              NIKOLA KQUSEV BR.16 CENTAR, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia Bank details:     IBAN: MK07210701001011812 | SWIFT/BIC: TUTNMK22 Bank address:   NLB A.D. SKOPJE, Mother Theresa 1, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia IMPORTANT!!! If you chose bank transfer please be aware that additional costs (bank fees) can apply, and they should be covered by the participant. For regular participation OSTEN ART should receive 55 EUR / 120 EUR NET!!!    SELECTION and JURYING    SELECTOR & CURATOR of the OSTEN BIENIIAL Skopje 2024 is Kornelija KONESKA and she:

• Makes a short list of SELECTED ARTISTS who will be presented within the Biennial’s catalog
• Draws up a list of FINALISTS who will be notified to send by postal mail the original works for presentation in front of the THREE-MEMBER INTERNATIONAL JURY (TBD), which
• Decides which of the submitted works by the FINALISTS will be exhibited at the Biennial's official exhibition and reproduced in the Biennial's catalog, and
• Decides on the JURY AWARDS envisaged by the Organizer

Deadlines: SELECTION – May 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE SELECTED ARTISTS and FINALISTS – 31 May 2024 JURY – September 2024 ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS – 30 September 2024    MAILING the ORIGINAL WORKS (only for the FINALISTS)    FINALISTS should send all their ONLINE SUBMITTED WORKS by postal mail. IMPORTANT!!! The works that do not correspond to the online submitted works - will be rejected. Shipping ADDRESS: OSTEN BIENNIAL 8. Udarna Brigade 2, 1000 Skopje, North Macedonia INSTRUCTIONS for mailing the works:

• The transportation of the works is to be completely organized by the artists (including costs)
• The organizer does not assume any responsibility in case of damage or loss of the works
• On the back of each work should be written: Name and surname of the artist, the title of the work, year of creation, technique/medium, size of the work (H x W x L) - according to the application form
• The works should be sent unframed and properly packed according to their dimensions: in cardboard packaging with reinforced protection for the corners (for smaller sizes), in a tube (for larger sizes), or in wooden boxes (for objects and installations)

IMPORTANT!!! MAKE SURE to declare on the package: NOT FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES / FOR EXHIBITION ONLY MAKE SURE the TOTAL VALUE of the shipment declared in the documents doesn’t exceed 20 EUR. It doesn’t represent the value of the works! IT IS ONLY FOR CUSTOMS PURPOSES. * If the participant declares the total shipment value is more than 20 EUR and costs for customs clearance in North Macedonia applied - it should be covered by the participant, or the works will be returned back on the participant’s expense. Deadline for ARRIVAL of the works - July 31, 2024 Important Note: After the official Biennial’s exhibition ends, the artists who decided to take back the sent works should organize their transportation. The deadline for taking back the works will be defined in addition according to the dates of the exhibition, and after the deadline would not be possible for the works to be picked up. Transportation providers that operate the best in North Macedonia: DHL, UPS, FedEx, or other transportation companies on the artist’s responsibility.    AWARDS    AWARDS decided by the Ambassadors of OSTEN GRAND PRIX FOR LIFE ACHIEVEMENT WORLD CULTURAL HERITAGE AWARD SPECIAL GRAND PRIX AWARDS decided by the INTERNATIONAL JURY 3 FIRST AWARDS (with money prize of 1000$/each) 3 SPECIAL AWARDS  3 SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS AWARDS decided by the OSTEN BOARD 5 GOLDEN OSTEN AWARDS 5 OSTEN AWARDS OSTEN’s SPECIAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITION AWARDS in collaboration with the WAVA (World Association of Visual Arts)    PRESENTATION of the OSTEN BIENIIAL Skopje 2024    PREVIEW PROGRAM   May 2023 - September 2024                                             (solo and group presentations at the OSTEN Gallery Skopje) OFFICIAL PROGRAM   October 2024 - February 2025 (at the OSTEN Gallery Skopje) OFFICIAL EXHIBITION   February - March 2025 (at the National Gallery of RNM)                                             +continuous local and international promotion…