The most important art and design competition in Latin America

The most important art and design competition in Latin America grows with its transformative philosophy
Fernet Branca presents the 17th edition of Arte Único, the most important art and design competition in Latin America, with a new concept, categories and interesting prizes for the winners' upcoming projects. Starting on Thursday, October 10th and for a month and a half, artists from different disciplines from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay will be able to show and enhance their creativity by participating with their original works and, as appropriate, for the chosen category, through the website arteunico.com.ar

In all editions, spaces for personal expression are proposed without leaving aside professional artists or those at the beginning of their careers, specifically this year taking a powerful premise that guides the competition: "The transformative power of the present." In this way, the brand puts the strength of artists in the foreground to, from the present, build a hopeful projection of the future and our relationship with their creativity and the DNA of Fernet Branca as tools.

This edition will award the winners with a total of $15 million pesos, divided by category. Those who take first place in each category, completing a total of four recognitions by the jury and the company, will be chosen for the originality and commitment of their work among ten finalists for each one. The breakdown of prizes is $4,500,000 for whoever is chosen in Branca Legacy; $4,500,000 for Future Expression; $3,000,000 for both Art in Motion and for the debuting and auspicious Tattoo category.

The objective of this contest, which has already seen more than 15 thousand artists participate in the last few years, is for participants to be able to represent and express their vision and conception through the design of posters, videos and/or tattoos, which is one of the great innovations that this launch brings, with the spirit of Branca. The dynamic of the last three years is maintained with 100% digital participation, communication and follow-up, an aspect so positive that it exponentially increased the percentage of participation.

The contest seeks to stimulate the production of works of art and the generation of meaning in different regions by generating unique pieces. The new thematic axis that the brand proposes for this year is reflected in the division marked by four categories. To the traditional "Branca Legacy", based on the iconography of the brand, after listening to the artists' request, the "Tattoo" category is added, in which professional tattoo artists, designers and/or any type of artist can participate, without being exclusive the fact of being tattoo artists. From now on, the successful unbranded spaces that sharply increased the number of participants in the last Arte Único will continue: "Future Expression" and "Art in Motion", the motion poster category.
Considerations for participation

During the month and a half of the duration of the contest - specifically from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 10 until 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 25, 2024, inclusive - those who wish to participate can enter the website arteunico.com.ar and upload their works. The jury of artists, with members from all participating countries, will evaluate them according to the criteria and based on their categories to choose 10 preselected works for each one - a total of forty finalist works. The highest authorities will be the historical members Hernán Berdichevsky and Enrique Longinotti (ARG), adding to their ranks in this edition the expertise and knowledge in tattoo art of Lucía Franzé; Completing the region with Regina Viva (PAR), Mathias Chumino (URU), Diana Ramirez (BOL) and Alvaro Ardiles (CHI).
What we do in the present, marks the path of the future

Taking the path of the direct influence of our actions in the present in the construction of the future that the brand developed with the concept of diversity and inclusion in 2023, "in this new edition we take a new step from the conceptual and purposeful in art, focusing on promoting empathy, unity, generating social awareness and opening the game towards cultural change with innovation and experimentation. Of course, art is a powerful form of expression that challenges the established and brings new possibilities of thought, influencing the emotions and perception of society at a general level," highlights Javier Saez, Marketing Manager of Fernet Branca for the entire region.

"Over the years, we have incorporated participation and award categories that complemented our tradition, achieving this year a balance between branding and total freedom of expression that, we believe, will continue to add value to the company and will mean a greater challenge for the excellent juries that breathe the culture of Fernet Branca, an emblem of our country and we hope to soon, with this expansion, for the entire region. We understand this space as an ideal territory to promote reflection and plurality of voices, so the more we expand the possible techniques of expression, the more we will invite to give that place to the talents of Latin America." In addition, Saez concluded, "this is an ideal moment to inspire us and reinvent ourselves with courage, passion and creativity. Demonstrating the uniqueness that characterizes us with innovation, not only technical but also from creation, is a value that provides an invaluable differential for both the company and society."

For the third year in a row, this edition once again has the support of the Anden 2222 Cultural Foundation, a promoter of access to and dissemination of the arts, through support for programs and projects that promote art, culture, education, solidarity and science. "We are very happy to continue linking our philosophy of transformation, inclusion and social purpose with the tradition linked to the art of Fernet Branca, reinforcing year after year this tireless work through exhibitions, fairs and social interventions," said Alfredo Segatori, artist and president of the foundation. "Artists have the power and duty of transformation, both conceptually and through our work in executing it. Art, in its essence, has the ability to change perceptions and motivate people towards a more inclusive and conscious future, that is what we promote from the Foundation and, without a doubt, a value that Fernet Branca has also shared since its beginnings," he concluded. I carry you on my skin

One of the great novelties of this 17th edition is based on the debut of a new category that reflects the cultural and social identity of the region, as well as being one of the ways to show pride for the brand that lives most in the skin of its fans in our country. Fernet Branca is a classic that is constantly evolving, always current, that transcends and connects several generations who choose to immortalize its symbolism in different parts of the body.

Tattoos are part of social expressions and speak for people, becoming decorations on the canvases that mean the bodies. More and more people are choosing to perpetuate art on their bodies, which shows that tattoos are a significant form of self-expression today. In the last decade, the demand for tattoo artists in the region grew by 25%, raising the bar for the techniques and studies of artists who began to travel the world to perfect themselves and demonstrate their talent.

Tattoo art in South America not only reflects aesthetic trends, but also has the power to transform society through its capacity for cultural expression by integrating elements of identity, inclusion, diversity, community and belonging, being a vehicle for social and cultural change. They can represent a process of personal healing, overcoming trauma or remembering loved ones, contributing to the process of rehabilitation, individual and collective resilience.

The person in charge of selecting the finalists in the brand new Tattoo category will be the illustrator and architect Lucía "Lulens" Franzé, a talent from Linnea Studio that, since its opening in 2020, grows and grows creating original permanent memories from the hands of the artists in the portfolio. Lulens's link with Fernet Branca dates back more than five years of joint journey with digital and social media work, participation in a commercial and three interventions as an on-site tattoo artist at Arte Único events, this next step being a big step to demonstrate her knowledge of the history and heart of the brand. Each work must contain or contemplate some representative element of Fernet Branca, such as the brand, the bottle and/or the logo, including an artistic composition with the characteristic mark of the artist who created it.

Now it remains to take the interesting premise of Fernet Branca to begin to transform the present with art and creativity, in search of the future that we want to project. And that it be a unique future.
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