OSTEN BIENNIAL 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

SELECTION and JURYING
SELECTOR & CURATOR of the OSTEN BIENIIAL Skopje 2024is 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:
ONLINE APPLICATION DEADLINE – ~~31 May 2024~~ 15 June 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.

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…

FOR REGULAR INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION the ARTISTS SHOULD
STEP 1.: SUBMIT the INDIVIDUAL ONLINЕ APPLICATION FORM – HERE >>>
STEP 2.: PAY the PARTICIPATION FEE (55 EUR) – HERE >>>

FOR REGULAR GROUP PARTICIPATION the ARTISTS SHOULD
STEP 1.: SUBMIT the GROUP ONLINЕ APPLICATION FORM – HERE >>>
STEP 2.: PAY the PARTICIPATION FEE (120 EUR) – HERE >>>