Art for Impact: Beijing+30 Digital Art Competition Winners Announced!

UN Women and The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) are thrilled to announce the winners of the Art for Impact: Beijing+30 Digital Art Competition!

The competition invited artists across Asia-Pacific to champion equal opportunities for all and break down barriers hindering women's full participation in society. This initiative focused on the twelve critical areas of concern outlined in the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action: poverty, education and training, health, violence, armed conflict, economics, and decision-making, institutional arrangements, human rights, media, environment, and the girl child.

The winners of the Art for Impact: Beijing+30 Digital Art Competition were selected by a distinguished panel of experts from leading cultural institutions across Asia. Adulaya Hoontrakul, Director of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) in Bangkok, Thailand; Azusa Hashimoto, Chief Curator of the National Museum of Art in Osaka, Japan; and Kittima Chareeprasit, Chief Curator of MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum in Chiang Mai and MAIELIE Artspace in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Each juror contributed unique curatorial insight into the regional complexities of the Asia-Pacific. Together, these esteemed jurors evaluated the artworks with a shared vision of uplifting powerful narratives and visual statements aligned with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, ultimately selecting works that not only showcase artistic excellence but also advocate for social change and gender equality.

The Winners are

First place

Xiaoyu Xiong from Shuozhou City, China presents Who is Hui’an Woman? a two-channel video exploring the complex identity of Hui'an women.

The film seamlessly integrates storytelling, recording, bibliographic analysis, interviews, and abstract imaginary, bridging the gaps between history, academic research, and research subjects, thereby constructing a discursive space that transitions between the “real” and “unreal”, the rational and emotional.

The work intelligently employs multimedia to tell the story resonating with the Beijing+30 commitment to the critical area of concern on Power and Decision-Making, Xiong’s work directly addresses this theme by highlighting the efforts of Hui’an women to "seek and assert their voices and power." The film’s inclusion of diverse perspectives, culminating in the women’s self-directed Nanyin performance, emphasizes their agency and challenges dominant narratives that often marginalize their voices.  In line with the concept of Media, this film serves as a medium that challenges stereotypical representations of women, promoting a more nuanced understanding of their identities. This approach aligns with Beijing+30’s emphasis on the role of media in shaping gender perceptions and advocating for greater equality and inclusivity.

Second Place

Angel Kimia Gulistani from Kabul, Afghanistan, created an animated video artwork centered on the theme of girls' education in Afghanistan. Her work powerfully underscores the severe deprivation of learning opportunities faced by young Afghan girls, highlighting not only the immediate educational gaps but also the long-term detrimental impacts on their mental health, sense of agency, and potential for active participation in society. Through her piece, Gulistani brings forward the voices and experiences of Afghan girls, advocating for urgent change and emphasizing the importance of education in transforming lives.

Her work powerfully reflects the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action’s critical area of concern on education and training, underscoring the commitment to ensure equal access to quality education and training for women and girls worldwide, advocating for a future where every girl can unlock her full potential.

Third place

Seyedeh Fatemeh Mirbemani Yazdi from Mashhad, Iran, created a digital artwork that highlights the power of women's choices and offers a critique of patriarchal views that regard women n as property. Her objective is to reach individuals worldwide, giving a voice to those who are silenced, with the hope of inspiring positive change and progress.

Mirbemani’s digital painting vividly portrays the struggles faced by Iranian women as they confront societal standards and expectations imposed upon them. The powerful visual elements in her work evoke a sense of relatability, transcending its specific cultural context to resonate with women globally, as these themes remain prevalent today.

This work aligns with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action's critical area of concern on violence against women, encompassing not only physical violence but also psychological and emotional abuse. Through her art, Mirbemani calls attention to the ongoing fight for autonomy and respect, advocating for a future free from all forms of oppression.

Exhibition of Selected Artworks

To celebrate the winners and showcase the diverse talent of the participants, UN Women and ESCAP will host an exhibition featuring 30 curated pieces from the Art for Impact competition. The exhibition will take place at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on the Beijing+30 Review in Bangkok from November 19-21, 2024. The exhibition will feature artwork addressing various critical areas of concern from the Beijing+30 agenda.