International Competition For Computer-Generated Ex-libris

   RULES:

Article 1.

The competition is open without restriction to artists and designers from all over the world.

No fee is required for participation.

There are no limitations as to the theme chosen for the ex-libris.

Article 2.

The works must be conceived as authentic ex-libris (bookplates), i. e. as small-format art graphics of the highest aesthetic, artistic and technical quality, made to be pasted into books and to identify their owner.

They should include, integrated within the image, the words "ex libris..." or an equivalent (for example, "From the library of...", "This book belongs to...", etc.), followed by the name of a living person or of a library of a currently existing institution by whom or by which it was commissioned, or to whom it is dedicated or for which it was made.

Article 3.

The ex-libris must have been designed and created with a predominant use of digital technology, although the printmaking process may have involved to some extent other graphic techniques.

They must be the work of the person submitting them; if several artists or technicians have cooperated in the creation of an ex-libris, the person submitting it must indicate who else was involved and how.

They must be original prints, i.e. multiples printed from digital or combined matrixes on an adequate support, normally a high quality paper.

Original sketches or drawings, as well as photocopies or xerographies, will not be accepted, nor will ex-libris be retained in which digital technology has only been used for reproductive purposes.

Article 4.

At most, each participating artist can submit five different ex-libris.

Five prints of each ex-libris submitted must be sent, of which three will be incorporated into museum / documentation centre collections, and two will be used for exhibition purposes.

Each print must be signed or initialled by the artist and must bear legibly on the back in pencil the artist's name, address, year of birth, nationality, the technique(s) used and the year of creation.

If the artist has not used Latin alphabet in the printed inscription, he is required to write a translation into English on the back of the print. Also, if for reasons of design he/she has exceptionally chosen to integrate into the image only the owner's initials, the artist must write the owner's full name on the back of the print.

Artists are also requested to send a .jpg file of each ex-libris submitted, by e/mail to exlibris@rave.ch

Article 5.

The printed surface of the ex-libris should not exceed 130 mm x 130 mm, and the support (paper) must not be larger than 297 mm x 210 mm (A4).

Article 6.

The deadline for submitting works is Friday March 5th, 2004, the stamped postal date on the envelope being decisive. Artists are however requested to send material before mid-February 2004, whenever possible.

Article 7.

Material for the competition must be sent to the following address:

Additional information:

Administrative and organisational:

Phone: +41 22 7590040 (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian)

e-mail: b.junod@eu-balkan.org

Phone: +32 3 7772942 (Dutch, English, German)

e-mail: tony.oost@sint-niklaas.be

Phone: +358-50-3676058 (Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, German)

e-mail: olli.ylonen@uta.fi

Artistic/technical:

Phone: +32 9 3690263 (Dutch, French, English)

e-mail: martin.baeyens@pandora.be

Phone: +34 93 4238787 (Spanish)

e-mail: francescorenes@hotmail.com

Phone: +90 312 2510356 (Turkish, English)

e-mail: hpektas@hacettepe.edu.tr

Phone: + 381 11 653243 (Serbian, Croat, Bulgarian, Russian)

e-mail: rciric@eunet.yu

General information about ex-libris, including links to other sites on this subject, as well as the competition rules can be found on the following sites:

http://www.pdb.be/graphia

http://www.natur.cuni.cz/exlibris

http://www.aed.org.tr

and from there, to further links.

On www.karaart.com, a historical retrospective of ex-libris from 1470 until today can be seen.

Article 8.

The International Jury is composed of:

Martin R. Baeyens, artist and professor of graphic arts at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Ghent, Belgium.

Luc van den Briele, editor of Graphia (Belgium), researcher and collector of ex-libris, playwright.

W. E. Butler, ex-libris collector and editor of Bookplate International, Executive Secretary of FISAE, UK

Rastko Ciric, artist and head of the graphic arts department, Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Benoît Junod, ex-libris collector, art and print critic and exhibition curator, Switzerland

Henry Klein, artist, critic, curator and dealer, professor of drawing and printmaking at Los Angeles Valley College, California USA.

Tony Oost, Director of the Museum of the Town of Sint-Niklaas, Belgium

Francesc Orenes, artist, professor of graphic arts at the University of Barcelona, Spain

Hasip Pektas, artist, professor of graphic arts, Hacettepe University, Ankara Turkey

Olli Ylönen, journalist, professor of communication studies, Chairman of the Finnish Ex-libris Society.

The president of the jury is Benoit Junod.

Article 9.

Prizes:

Award in memoriam Jean-Pierre de Smet (First Prize) : € 1500

Second Prize : € 1000

Two ex-aequo Third Prizes, each € 500

Jury Special Prize : € 1000 for the best mixed technique in which computer design has the central role.

Special Prize of the FINALE Foundation, Lausanne: € 1000 for the best ex-libris on an erotic theme.

Individuals and Institutions will probably offer special prizes, which should total some € 1500 and which will be attributed by decision of the Jury.

The Jury will be competent also to attribute Honourable Mentions to ex-libris deserving honorary awards.

The jury reserves its right not to award certain prizes or certificates if there are not enough works submitted of sufficient quality.

Article 10.

The ex-libris received will be evaluated on the basis of their artistic and technical quality, as well as to their originality and merit as marks of possession integrating concept, image and text.

The jury will pay special attention to:

- the originality (i.e. made by the author) of the digital and other materials used in the design (images, fonts, etc.);

- the inventive use of digital technology and its possible blending with traditional graphics;

- the quality of the relation between image and inscription in the composition;

- the quality of printing and of the support.

The decision of the Jury will be final.

Article 11.

An extensive selection of the best works submitted will be exhibited in Sint Niklaas (Belgium) during May-July 2004, in Wels (Austria) during August 2004, and in Ankara (Turkey) in October-November 2004. A second set of prints will be used for parallell exhibitions in Barcelona and Lausanne (dates to be determined). The exhibition may be shown also in other major cities, if suitable venues are found.

Article 12.

An illustrated catalogue of the best ex-libris submitted for the competitions will be prepared and will be made available free of charge to artists whose ex-libris are illustrated therein. A contribution to postage fees may be requested.

For the catalogue, artists may be requested to send a high-resolution scan of certain works.

The catalogue will also be online, and will be made available as a CD Rom.

Article 13.

The safety of submissions during posting and delivery should be ensured, for example by registered post.

        Materials sent for the competition will not be returned and will remain the property of the organisers. The organisers will have the right to publish all ex-libris submitted and use them in promotional and press contexts free of charge.

The results of the competitions will be sent for publication to all associations which are members of the Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Amateurs d'Ex-libris (FISAE).

Article 14.

Participants must fill in the form below and post it together with the works submitted, as well as a short CV or biographical data. Any information as to the person(s) or institution(s) for which the ex-libris were made will be much appreciated, as well as data regarding the choice of theme.

Article 15.

Participation in the competition implies unconditional acceptance of these rules.