In encore to 2001 and 2004, the Villa Arte art association and the Saxon Museum of Industrial History announce the third competition named in honour of the Bauhaus representative Marianne Brandt (1893-1983) in her own hometown for 2007. This latest contest is open to all artists and designers across Europe under 40 years old.

The contest once again upholds the established theme: “Poetry of the Functional”. The apparent paradox aptly encapsulates the canons which defined the work created by Marianne Brandt and many other Bauhaus artists. At the heart is the functionality of the object to be created, its user-friendliness and its expedient function. Yet at the same time, the object should impress upon the senses, a far cry from merely cold, deliberate rationalism.

Work may be submitted in three categories. The traditional categories of product design and photography pay homage to Marianne Brandt’s most noted creative fields while the third category is chosen new each time. After honouring Collage and Clothing, this new competition seeks solutions for regional concepts – innovative ideas in designs for towns, cities, neighbourhoods, districts or regions. This would include concepts for corporate design and guidance systems as readily as it would street furnishings and marketing tools. The objective is an artistically formed identity for towns or regions.

One prize of 5000 Euro and three acknowledgements will be awarded in each category; in addition, the Saxon State Ministry of Science and the Fine Arts will award one special prize of its own in a matching amount. A number of companies and institutions will also bestow special prizes, not all of which are financial grants.

Another world-class jury has been assembled for this third Marianne Brandt contest. Comprised of renowned designers, artists and theoreticians from Switzerland, the Czech Republic and Germany, the jury will announce their final award decisions at the end of June 2007.

The competition with all its conditions was officially disclosed on 01 October 2006 to mark the occasion of Marianne Brandt’s birthday; all relevant information is also available at
http://www.marianne-brandt-wettbewerb.de. Work must be submitted between 4 and17 June 2007, the jury will meet thereafter. The award ceremony will take place on 30 September 2007 at the Chemnitz Opera House. At the same time, an exhibition featuring all of the award winners and other selected works will open at the Saxon Museum of Industrial History in Chemnitz. As with the two previous competitions, a full representative catalogue will also be published.

http://www.marianne-brandt-wettbewerb.de/ausschreibung_eng.html