The Founding Director and the organizing team of the Biennale of Santorini have the great pleasure to announce the inaugural Santorini Biennale of Arts, taking place on the island between 01 July 2012 to 30 Sept 2012. The Biennale is the idea of artist, designer and economist Kikos Papadopoulos; supported by the Municipality of Thera, the Estia Association of Pyrgos and the Museum of Pyrgos, further sponsoring private art foundations will shortly be announced.

The Santorini Biennale of Arts mission is to promote both emerging and established artists that are working on the borders between different art disciples, allowing them to surpass the traditional (and perhaps limiting) concepts of classicism, modernism, contemporary and applied arts. The Santorini Biennale of Arts will be dedicated to hosting artist-led events presented in full co-operation with the organizers. The Santorini Biennale of Arts is inspired by the ways in which ideas are born and disseminated – how they then develop and diversify within our increasingly interconnected global society.

Art and culture continue to play a distinctive role in defining the past, present and future direction of human endeavour. In recognition of this, the Santorini Biennale of Arts wishes to cultivate a spirit of research and experimentation; also, to present an environment ideal for open and continuous dialogue. Pursuing a programme of cultural collaboration that is at the same time both regional and international, Santorini Biennale of Arts intends to support and promote the free exchange of both artistic and cultural experience.

Reflecting the strengths of co-operation across all borders, encouraging and rewarding excellence, Santorini Biennale of Arts will work to advance a broad framework of activities enabling participants to initiate a wider dialogue for new ideas and social change. Ideally, by our art, we can provoke and motivate humanity to take action on today’s fundamental issues.

Art Categories: Art Installation, Ceramic Art, Collage Art, Comic Art, Drawing, Short Film, Glass Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Painting, Paper Art, Photography, Sculpture, Video Art, and a Song Competition. 

The theme for 2012 is The Past. History, Time, Memory and Nostalgia: How do you define your relationship with The Past? How do people you have met in the past, all of your experiences, your memories affect you in the present? Might they subconsciously or even explicitly influence your future? We as individuals each carry forward our own past as ‘vessels’. If everything about the present moment is determined by the past, then, when collectively imagining our future, we ignore the lessons of the past at our peril.

The open call for artist submissions is now open through 19 May 2012! Artists are invited to submit their works into the following sections: Photography, Glass Art, Graphic Art, Comics, Sculpture, Art Installation, Industrial Design, Ceramic Art, Collage Art, Paper Art, Illustration, Painting, Drawing, Video Art and Short Film. For more information visit WWW.SANTORINIBIENNALE.GR (source and photo: santorini biennale)