It’s that time again when Monday opens its doors to the best local photography on the Island for our 12th annual photo contest and gallery show.
This year’s entries will be displayed in all their glory in the Arts Centre at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre from Sept. 25 to Oct. 6 — and if this year’s entries are anything like last year’s, we’re in for a real treat.
The rules are simple: submit your photo(s) as either an 8x10 or 8x12-inch print, mounted on a plain 11x14-inch piece of white mat board (available at most art supply stores). Attach a copy of the entry form to the back of the mat, and deliver your entry along with the $10 entry fee to our offices at 818 Broughton Street.
Everyone enjoyed the six categories last year, so we will repeat them this year. Entries will be accepted for:
- Nature: From serene landscapes to idyllic gardens.
- Urban: The grit that often goes unnoticed.
- Animal: From wild to domestic — what makes you gasp or smile.
- Photoshop Creative: When normal isn’t good enough — computer manipulation allowed.
- People - Non-Staged: The human form in and out of his/her environment, caught unaware.
- People - Staged: Fashion, makeup, body paint, etc. — go wild with the human form.
We’re very fortunate to have Prism Imaging and Art World on board with prizes this year, allowing us to offer 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prizes in all six categories. Plus, every entry will be included in a random draw to win $100 cash. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 31, but the earlier the better as it takes quite a bit of planning to conduct the judging and plan the gallery opening. All the details can be found online at mondaymag.com/contests.
Olympic Glory
Growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, I came to resent the singing of the national anthem — any national anthem. To my ears, it has always represented a battle cry, a sign that countries constantly want to be identified as individual nations rather than as a communal part of the whole planet. I saw this on a small scale when Catholics and Protestants fought over a soccer match or the colour of a T-shirt, when children couldn’t be friends because of religion. The Olympics take this illiberal view to a global level, especially when the Americans can’t help but crow that they are the “Greatest in the World” and badminton teams feel a need to cheat to make it to the podium. Maybe the Greeks and Romans had the right idea: let the athletes run naked, no flags, no uniforms, just skill, beauty and athleticism. Let’s celebrate the love of sport and not the nation. Let’s celebrate humanity. M