Trophy is curated by Alice Bradshaw for East Street Arts and Alice invites you to submit proposals for the project

Trophy is derived from the Greek tropaion, translating as “of defeat” or “for defeat” and more generally “of a change” as in to turn or alter.

A trophy is an award recognising merit. In ancient Greece, the winners of the Olympic games initially received no trophies except laurel wreaths. In the local games, the winners received different trophies, such bronze shields and silver cups. Trophies in today’s society are notably awarded for various sporting achievements as cups, bowls, mugs, plaques and statues usually made of metal, wood, marble, glass or plastic.

Historically, trophy refers to arms, property, or human body parts captured in battle and hung upon a tree or a large stake made to resemble a warrior. They were mementos commemorating the victories of war; commemorating death of the opponent. Naval victory trophies sometimes consisted of entire ships or their remains laid out on the beach. To destroy a trophy was considered a sacrilege.

Nowadays there are trophies for anything. There are trophy wives and trophy art. Trophies are status symbols that can be bought rather than earned in an attempt validate a person’s status. Trophies symbolise competitiveness and individualism. For every defeat there are the defeated and trophies not only stand for individual success but a counter failure. They stand for the best but also the worst in human nature.

This exhibition seeks to explore the broad and often conflicting notions of trophy through contemporary art practice across a wide range medium, including and not limited to; sculpture, installation, painting, print, drawing, video and performance.

Open Call: Submissions are open for proposals of work in any medium from the UK and internationally.

• Deadline for submissions: Friday 15th June 2012.
• Artists will be contacted by Monday 18th June
• Work must be delivered by Friday 22nd June.

Note: A small stipend of £20 is available for each successful proposal.

To Apply:
Email: contemporaryrubbish [at] yahoo.co.uk with images and descriptions of proposed works along with any technical requirements, an artist statement and website/blog links.

www.alicebradshaw.co.uk

Trophy is curated by Alice Bradshaw for East Street Arts as part of a series of Common-all Games at LAB in collaboration with Comm(o)nist Gallery TV, Live Art Bistro (LAB) and Live Art Development Agency and Graeme Murrell, is linked through city walks for Ludus Festival and coincides with the PS1 conference at Leeds University.