NeoNlitic was fathered by Wood Be Nice, a photography, installation, collage, mixed media and object design studio located in the heart of Bucharest, Romania, and saw its first daylight (pun intended !) in 2018. The project coopted 15 Romanian artists of various molds, talents and media, whose works brought the Neolithic art to currency. The outcome was an eclectic and gleefully anachronistic collection, at once nostalgic and relevant, and enjoyed undivided appreciation.

Nearly two years later, amidst pandemic times, a follow-up was set in motion. The 2020 edition was by design far more expansive than its predecessor, as it ventured into Bulgarian and Ukrainian soils, where local versions of the Neolithic culture manifested. The 2nd episode onboarded 16 artists from all 3 countries and came to fruition against inauspicious odds and to wide acclaim. Most notably, tribute was paid and life was breathed into a common cultural heritage.

Following the international tradition laid out by NeoNlitic 2.0, Wood Be Nice is organizing a 3rd installment of the project – an exploration of the Vinca and Starčevo-Körös–Criș cultures from present-day Romania, Serbia and Greece. Similar to its previous editions, NeoNlitic 3.0 will involve extensive field research, the use of environmentally-conscious materials & practices, and artists from each of the targeted countries – this year, Romania, Serbia and Greece.

With that said, NeoNlitic is scouting 3-5 artists from each of these countries, activating in various fields & media, such as: painting, sculpture, mixed media, art installations, object design, animation, video mapping, etc.    

Subjects of inspiration

The cores of inspiration for the project will be the neolithic cultures from your country, especially:

·        for Romania: Vinca & Starčevo-Körös–Criș cultures

·        for Serbia: Vinca & Starčevo-Körös–Criș cultures

·        for Greece: Sesklo as a precursor for Starčevo-Körös–Criș cultures

Vinca must sound familiar to you – if not, take our advice and check the tablets! And by tablets, we mean the Tărtăria tablets, discovered in a Neolithic archeological site in Romania and dating around 5300 BC. The symbols incised in their surfaces are believed to represent the earliest form of writing in the world. This claim is controversial, but undisputed, thus far. So, how about some handwriting inspiration?

The Starčevo-Criș culture – an “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” ode to the Neolithic – evolved throughout the migration of early Neolithic farmers from Anatolia to South-East Europe, including present-day Bulgaria, Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia, northern Croatia, south-western Hungary, and Romania. You may draw inspiration from the various techniques used by the local denizens of this culture in the production of pottery or of small, yet cozy dwellings. The few, but representative inhumation sites may give you a glimpse into the symbolism and rituals practiced around that time and space – an exciting “memento mori” for the aficionados!

Application requirements:

The applicants must be over 18 years old. No fee will be required in case you are selected in this project.

Your application

All applications must be sent to contact@neonlitic.ro, no later than September 01 2021.

If your files are larger than 10 megabytes, please upload them via wetransfer.com and send us the link. Your application must include the following information:

  • Description of the Artwork concept for the project (maximum 3 artworks allowed); (sketch/simulation/description, materials that you intend to use, dimensions and approximate weight)
  • Your portfolio in English (link or PDF);
  • CV in English.

Artwork Limitations:

  • Paintings/ Bass Reliefs/ Wall Installations: the maximum acceptable weight is 10-15 KG, whereas the maximum acceptable size is 1.5 m x 1.5 m. Artworks should not exceed these limits;
  • Sculptures/ Floor Installations: the maximum acceptable weight is 10-15 KG, whereas the maximum acceptable size is 1.5 m (Height) x 0.5 x 0.5 m. Artworks should not exceed these limits;
  • Though optional, it is highly recommended that your artworks include: Lights (LED or classic lightning)/ fluorescent or phosphorescent paint/ video projections/ mapping/ animations or other modern technologies involving light.

Good to know:

  • Each artwork will be returned to its creator and remain in their possession.

Artist participation benefits:

  • Massive online and offline exposure of participants and their artworks;
  • Participation in three international exhibitions (Romania, Greece and Serbia);
  • An immersive 360° view of the exhibition via the official NeoNlitic site;
  • Tax-free return of artworks to their creators;
  • Tax-free transportation of artworks from one exhibition to the next.

IMPORTANT: The delivery of artworks to Romania (Bucharest or Timișoara) will be supported by the artists.

Organizational info

Jury

  • Mihaela Ion, PhD (RO) curator
  • Anca Spiridon (RO) cultural PR
  • Daniel Loagar (RO) artist
  • Andrei Cornea (RO) artist

Additional information

More details about the NeoNlitic project and its 2 previous editions (totaling 7 exhibitions):