Artforum International Magazine is pleased to announce the Artforum Critical Writing Award. In an open call for submissions beginning this July 1, 2010, students and young critics are invited to exercise their writing skills in the Chinese language, and to be considered for a prize for excellence.

Successful essays will take an analytical approach to art and ideas, and they should challenge the author’s writing abilities as they engage with their subjects. Submissions will be judged on their mastery of the subject matter within a theoretical and historical framework, as well as on their demonstration of an individual perspective and analysis.

The judges’ panel consists of leading critics, curators, and academics in the field of contemporary art within China. Each has been invited for their contribution to the development of critical discourse and for their desire to elevate the art of critical analysis in the Chinese language. A complete list of jurists is listed here.

Through hosting the Artforum Critical Writing Award, Artforum International Magazine, together with its Chinese language platform, Artforum.com.cn, aims to discover new voices by providing both the motivation to exercise critical writing skills as well as an independent forum in which to highlight those ideas.

Scope of essays:

　　Writers are asked to consider, interpret, and place in context a work of contemporary art that they have personally seen on view in any museum or gallery exhibition, or legitimate art space. Essays may also discuss the broader practice of an artist and their exhibition history, or examine the curatorial approach or practice demonstrated in a contemporary art exhibition through the explication of a critical thesis. The following mediums are eligible: painting, sculpture, photography, video, installation, performance, new media. Essays should be between 6000 and 10,000 characters; essays are judged on quality of content, not on length.

•All “contemporary” art works and exhibitions must be dated from no earlier than 2000.

•Artworks of any nationality are permitted, provided the author has personally seen the artwork or exhibition in an appropriate setting (please address this in your text).

•Artworks viewed only in books or online are not acceptable as the primary topics of critical essays, although they can be cited as reference.

Awards schedule:

First place: 10,000 RMB

Second place: 5,000 RMB

Third place: 3,000 RMB

•All prize-winning essays will be translated into English by Artforum for publication online. All Honorable Mentions will also be scheduled for publication online.

Eligibility:

•Applicants must be born after Jan 1, 1980. All artforum.com.cn contributors are ineligible.

•Submissions welcome from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and internationally; all texts must be originally written in the Chinese language.

•Previously published essays are ineligible.

Dates:

All submissions must be received on or before 5pm, October 31, 2010. Early submissions are preferred.

All submissions must include:

•One printed copy of the completed application form

•Two printed copies of your essay

•A printed ≤ 200 character abstract

•All texts must be in 12 pt font, double-spaced, traditional or simplified c

haracters acceptable

•Your essay in digital format (on disc, or sent to award@artforum.com.cn)

Send submissions to:

Artforum Critical Writing Award, c/o Liang Shuhan

Central Academy of Fine Arts

No.8 Huajiadi Nanjie,

Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100102

China

tel: +86 15101573012

For More Information contact award@artforum.com.cn

【编辑：singer】