This text describes the context and criteria for judging submissions for the Marŝarto Awards.
Background
In the context of having to judge many of the works remotely, it is challenging to value submitted works in the context of their geographical space. We recognise this and aim to make the process of judging individual works somewhat easier.
Eligibility
Every walking piece that is not a soundwalk, created after October 31 in the previous year, and is submitted to WLC’s library of works, is eligible.
For the Marŝarto Awards 2023, the inaugural awards, we will make the exception that every walking piece created in 2022, as well as every walking piece created before October 31 2023 is eligible.
It is perhaps necessary to mention that winners and honourable mentions are recognised as an artist’s project or piece, not an artist’s body of work.
Limitations
It is unlikely that the jurors can experience a site-specific work in-situ. Therefore, it can be difficult to assess a piece that is designed for a particular place, without physically being present.
To somewhat ameliorate this, creators can add third-party links describing their work, and can invite others to write about their experiences ‘consuming’ their work, all within our website.
In principle, jurors only review what is submitted. They are not expected to look for context of the work, or the artist, even if some might.
Criteria
The Grand Jury has decided on the following criteria for the 2023 awards.
- Walking. ‘Walking’ is integral to the work. That is, it is experienced as a walk. Walking is what gives the work its meaning, or it is the medium through which meaning is produced.
- Research and context. The project/piece grows out of research or a line of inquiry that contributes to or expands the field of walking art, in terms of either discourse, practices or concepts.
Such research may derive from, but is not limited to, fields such as ecology, psychogeography, kinesiology and performance, landscape understanding, body-mind relationship, community building, territory awareness, political contexts, or occupied territories.
The piece demonstrates awareness, on the part of the artist, of the questions that ‘walking art’ raises, as well as how it contributes to the discourse. - Contribution to walking art. The work makes a contribution to walking art in particular, that is, it furthers discourse, expands practices, deepens concepts.
This can also mean it has an artistic, or poetic, dimension, and can bring out an emotional response, reflections on the part of the audience, or involvement and commitment, either directly from ‘consuming’ the work, or from following the documentation process. - Production quality. The piece is professional and well designed.