JUUAN KIVENVEISTO 2023 – JUUKA STONE CARVING FESTIVAL 2023
The 3nd Stone Carving Championship 2023 of Finland and The International Stone Carving Competition will be held in Juuka, North Karelia, Finland, Fri–Sun 28.–30.7.2023.
The carving material is Soapstone of Juuka.
The organizer of the competitions and Juuan Kivenveisto 2023 – Juuka Stone Carving Festival 2023 is Ellin Taitajat ry, an independent cultural association located in Juuka, Finland.
COMPETITION RULES
The Stone Carving Championships will be held in Finland for the second time ever from July 28-30, 2023.
The carving material is the unique Soapstone of Juuka.
The competition is an art competition.
The theme is Joy with all its ageless forms and endless aspects.
Competitors
The Finnish Championship is open to all Finnish citizens over the age of 16 living in Finland.
All foreign persons over the age of 16 may participate to The International Stone Carving Competition.
The registration of a competitor under the age of 18 must be accompanied by the consent of a guardian.
The competitor sends the application to Ellin Taitajat using the relevant form: Registration for the 2023 Stone Carving Championships
Competition Series
There will be three competitions for individuals:
1. Finnish Championship of Hand Stone Carving
2. Finnish Championship of Machine Stone Carving
3. International Stone Carving Competition. The international competitors can choose the working technique, either hand sculpture or machine sculpture.
Carving Blank
Each competitor will be provided with a worktable and a ready-made soapstone blank,
The Hand Stone Carving Competition Blank measuring 20 x 30 x 40 cm and
The Machine Stone Carving Competition Blank measuring 30 x 30 x 60 cm.
The use of other materials is prohibited.
Carving blanks and sculpting spots will be allocated in advance at the sculptor meeting on July 27, 2023.
Registration and participation fee
The competition register will be closed by May 15, 2023 using the form in this link. If you have problems filling out the form, please contact Tuula Ikonen-Graafmans, tel. +358 400 764 062 or ellintaitajat(at)gmail.com.
The registration fee of € 50 is paid in advance to Ellin Taitajat.
Our account number is FI91 5086 0920 0725 49
The registration fee includes a carving blank, accommodation, meals and the competition t-shirt.
The reference of payment must mention “Juuan Kivenveisto 2023” and the name of the competitor.
A receipt must be presented at the competition venue. In addition, the person registered to Finnish Championships must inform whether he / she will take part in the hand carving or machine carving competition. The person registering to the international competition only must inform which one of the techniques he / she is going to use.
Selection of competitors
The organizer of the competition, Ellin Taitajat ry, accepts the competitors on the basis of the registrations and the invitation procedure:
1. A maximum of 10 sculptors for the Finnish Championship of Hand Stone Carving Competition
2. A maximum of 10 sculptors for the Finnish Championship of Machine Stone Carving Competition
3. A maximum of 10 sculptors for the International Stone Carving Competition
There must be at least four participants in the Finnish championship level competition.
A letter will be sent to those who have registered by May 15, 2023, giving more detailed instructions on, among other things, sculpture sites, accommodation reservations and dining arrangements.
Participants are responsible for their own travel costs and accommodation costs if they do not stay in a place reserved by the organizers of the competition.
If the competitor wants to book self-paid accommodation, see Matkailu – juuka.fi (www.juuka.fi/matkailu)
Carving
The work to be produced is carved from a Soapstone blank
measuring 20 x 30 x 40 cm in hand sculpture and
size 30 x 30 x 60 cm in machine sculpture.
The substances and working methods used must not cause harm or danger to the people present or to the environment.
The sculptor is in charge of the cleanliness of his/her sculpture site. The organizer is responsible for clearing stones and stone dust.
Sculpture sites (hand and machine sculpture sites) are drawn in advance on Thursday, July 27 at the Sculptors’ Meeting.
Venue
The stone sculpture competition venue is a park in or near the centre of Juuka Town. Map.
Tools, equipment and occupational safety
The sculptor brings the tools he or she needs to the competition, as well as any extension cords and air pressure lines he or she needs. The organizer reserves the possibility to get electricity and water.
Either pressure or electric machines are allowed to use also in hand carving competition in order to shape a blank to raw start form. The competition director and the field master oversee that the machine work will be finished on time.
The sculptor must wear at least safety shoes, hearing protection, eye protection, masks and, if necessary, respirators as safety equipment. The sculptor brings his/her own safety equipment to the competition venue.
If the sculptor does not use this safety equipment as defined in the rules, his competition will be suspended until the safety equipment standards are met.
The sculptor undertakes to follow a way of working that takes into account his own safety and the safety of other competitors and the public.
The sculptor takes care of her/his own insurance.
The sculptor will sign a discharge agreement before the competition.
Competitors are not allowed to use assistants in their work.
Alcohol is not allowed in the competition area. Smoking is only allowed in specially marked areas.
Work schedule
Competitors will arrive on Thursday, 27th July by 6 pm to the meeting place Ellinkulma, Väyryläntie 1, 83900 Juuka. There will be the registration, an evening meal, a raffle of sculpture sites, plans for carving and a meeting of stone sculptors.
The competition time is 28-30 July, Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m.
Jury
The jury of the competition (3–5 persons) consists of representatives of art, sculpture and local culture selected by the organizer.
The jury will follow the working of the competitors. The evaluation of finished sculptures will begin at noon on Sunday, July 30.
Based on the evaluation criteria, the jury will select three works to be awarded. The decision of the jury is binding.
Evaluation criteria
The evaluation criteria are:
- Artistic overall impression, both figurative and abstract sculptural; an emotional art experience that often arises from a first impression; structures and composition.
- Technical skills: carving of stone, taking into account the amount of material used. Quality, support for artistic impression with finishing and other solutions (surface finishing, only manual finishing allowed).
- Interpretation of the theme: originality and message, a new idea or a modified familiar
subject in a new style or form.
- Creative artistic expression.
- Reparation with glue is allowed if a sculpture in the making should break. The glue repairs may have influence in the evaluation of the jury.
Prizes and award ceremony
The prizes in Finnish Championship of Hand Stone Carving, Finnish Championship of Machine Stone Carving and International Competition are in each competition:
I prize € 300
II prize € 200
III prize € 100.
There will also be a public vote. The result of the public vote will be announced at the end of the competition. The public vote winner will receive a gift card worth 300 €.
The award ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 30, at 2 p.m. in Juuka Central Park.
Ownership of competition sculptures
The works of art carved in the competitions will remain the property of Ellin Taitajat ry. The owner also reserves the right to auction or organize sales event of the sculptures. The sculptor will receive 30 % provision of his / her sculpture’s selling price. Ellin Taitajat ry invests the remainder of the selling prices in organizing the next stone carving competition.
Audio-visual material of competition
The organizers have the right to use the photos and video material recorded in connection with the competition in their marketing and communications.