Blog Feed - Fresh Future

Pink

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 15:47:00 GMT

Pink is making a comeback. What started as a timid touch of blush is now unapologetically making waves across the board. The timing couldn’t be better. In the past few years we’ve seen a massive overhaul in gender roles, stereotypes and expected behavior. Pink has spearheaded the movement.

Naturally, this translated into the visual space as well. Blue - and all its range from light to midnight - is no longer considered a masculine color and pink is being welcomed into the so called macho-industry with an open mind.

Tracing back to nineties, with the launch of the ‘Wear Pink’ campaign to raise awareness for breast cancer, pink is now the embodiment of social change and fight. Let’s not forget the now famous pink hats with ears that were used by women across the US to reclaim their identity and demonstrate their dynamic.

The new digital landscape has also helped shape the conversation around color. Instagram, for instance, has made younger generations make bolder decisions around colour, be it an outfit or the layout of an image.

Embracing pink in times where the social landscape looks bleak is an act of social defiance.

In the current series we explore the use of color pink from portraiture to sports and how it visually expands the palette and interoperation of the objects under this shade.

Pink Portraits

Portraiture which frames females in a position of assertiveness.

Pink Bubble Space Girl

Mariela Feliz Fernandez

"Collaborative photo shoot between sisters, photographer Mariela Feliz Fernandez & makeup artist Gabriela Espaillat with the beautiful model Karilena Barfield. This photo shoot happened spontaneously as we joined forces to just create to create, we were highly inspired by the pink and purple gel tones and the gliterry makeup, it's a mixture of a modern barbie princess and trippy lighting."

Mariela Feliz Fernandez

Black Girl Magic

Taylor Castle

"Portraits commissioned by Chicago Magazine featuring women of color from Chicago's poetry and literary scene."

Taylor Castle

Uniforms Reimagined

A study in how pink can be used to alter the perception of gender stereotypes - a soft color with a hard kick.

Pink Stripes

Z.A Setiawan

"Music video that I made for the Alternative / Indie band from Depok, Indonesia with pop surrealism themes. In this project I tried to make something different in Indonesia, because I think no one has made 3D animation videos like this here. As an animator and self-taught motion graphics designer this is arguably an achievement for me being able to make long-duration animations with little storyline with themes that I like."

Z.A Setiawan

Uniform

Aiste Stancikaite

"A cover illustration for a newspaper published by a Paris based creative agency C’est La Vie. The image was a response to their January theme of “Uniform”. I chose to approach this by exploring uniformity in bodies, faces and societal norms, rather than focusing on it in the clothing or fashion sense of the word."

Aiste Stancikaite

Rejects vs Overachievers

Miha Kosmac

"A series of illustration created on the theme of baseball. A personal project that reminds us that you have to do your best even when no one is watching."

Miha Kosmac

Elastic Identities

Bending the perception of fixed identity, pink is framed as chameleon to traverse between moods, genders and objects.

Jun Hikari

Z.A Setiawan

"A girl who was fostered by a Japanese couple since the age of 2 years and was abandoned by her adoptive parents to die and wandered began her life adventure and met a guru who taught her life and channeled it into the art she made, thus creating Jun's rather eccentric character."

Z.A Setiawan

Faux Zeitgeist

Charmaine de Heij

"In the digital age we are living in people easily create a new identity online. We manipulate ourselves, surroundings and ideas of representation. We create an ideal version, and get influenced by idea’s how we can be an ideal version.

Humankind is getting enchanted with the version of ourselves we create online. What is our identity in the end? We get blisters from swiping and scrolling. We download apps to like like “them”. We don’t know how people look anymore in real life. Will this period be called the “Faux Zeitgeist” in the future?."

Charmaine de Heij

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 19 entry pool. Compiled by Villy Devlioti and Tim Jarvis.
08.2019

David Allain

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 16:37:00 GMT

Trusting the Voice

David Allain, Writer, Director and Producer has an impressive portfolio of important work spanning from advertising to timely work helping sensitive groups and bringing awareness to greater causes.

From East London MCs to major labels, David started out by directing music videos for SONY, EMI, and UNIVERSAL. In 2011, he worked with acclaimed photographer Rankin to help set up Rankin Film Productions (RFP). This allowed David to work across advertising, narrative filmmaking, TV, and documentary. He was credited as an Exec Producer or Producer on over 25 shorts films, many of which screened on UK TV and in international festivals (including Palm Springs, Tribeca, and the BFI London Film Festival). David was Creative Director of RFP until 2016 when he decided to focus on writing and directing.

This year, we have been honoured to have him as a judge during our Fresh Future awards and he has granted us some time to talk not only about his vast experience and body of work, but also about encouraging young talent to find their voice and carve their own unique path in the art world. Here’s what he had to say.

Fabrik: Hi David and thanks for your time. Would you like to share a little bit more about you?

David Allain: "I’m a Writer, Director and Producer. My work ranges from advertising and music videos, to narrative films and documentaries. I also work regularly with social causes. This has included projects for Australian Marriage Equality, Girl Effect in Rwanda and Malawi (promoting gender equality), Shift.MS (a community for people with multiple sclerosis), and CALM (promoting mental health awareness). I occasionally create artwork for charity auctions, and have made pieces for charities tackling homelessness including Shelter in the UK and Safe Space for Youth (S.P.Y) in the US. In a nutshell, I’m a curious creative who enjoys learning by working on interesting projects."

Fabrik: You have recently participated in the judging panel for Fresh Future awards. How would you describe the experience?

David Allain: "Energising. It’s always exciting and inspiring to see such a spectrum of high calibre work."

Fabrik: Speaking of fresh talent, what are the characteristics and main traits you seek to find in a successful entry?

David Allain: "Originality and voice. Lots of content is derivative of things we’ve seen before and restrictive client briefs can be an obstacle. So, original concepts executed with a compelling voice come as a breath of fresh air.

Original concepts regularly get watered down by people afraid to take risks; and clarity of voice often gets lost when too many people try putting their mark on the work. Loads of great work comes out of collaboration, but teaming up with likeminded people sharing a singular vision is key to helping an idea realise its fullest potential."

"Lots of content is derivative of things we’ve seen before and restrictive client briefs can be an obstacle. So, original concepts executed with a compelling voice come as a breath of fresh air."

Fabrik: Fresh Future Awards are all about surfacing global talent and giving them a platform for artistic expression. What would you like to say to young artists to encourage them to find their voice?

David Allain: "Just that: find your voice. Identify the things that make you and your work different, and use them to stand out from a largely homogeneous crowd. "

Fabrik: Your work features an abundance of branded and short films, but also a vast portfolio of important charity work. How do you approach ‘difficult’ subjects such as MS and mental health through storytelling?

David Allain: "I always craft my work around what I want the audience to feel emotionally. This is informed by a mixture of research and drawing upon personal experiences. Clients often give a steer for the tone they are after, but not always. So even when approaching sensitive subjects, I simply ask, ‘What do I want people to feel?’

For CALM, I wanted viewers to be left contemplating the sobering reality of men feeling unable to say how they feel. For Shift.MS, the client wanted to find ways of delivering their message in comedic ways that left viewers more aware and better equipped to act on what they learned. Whenever making films for social causes, I’ve spoken to people dealing with the reality of what the content highlights.

By speaking to people about their experiences and drawing invaluable insights from the research, it becomes easier to explore a subject with an emotional thread. Speaking and working with people from the relevant community also helps represent the subject with humanity and to depict the community with integrity."

"When approaching sensitive subjects, I simply ask, ‘What do I want people to feel?’ For CALM, I wanted viewers to be left contemplating the sobering reality of men feeling unable to say how they feel."

Fabrik: Any favourite piece of your work that holds a significant importance to you?

David Allain: "I made a short film called ‘Will You Marry Me?’ a while back. It’s the only time I’ve written and directed a film with no client and no brief. I got to make what I wanted, and it was a great representation of who I was as a creative at that point in my career. Out of it came a bunch of great opportunities and relationships with several people I’ve since collaborated with multiple times. It’s been a long time coming, but I’m planning to make a new film soon that’s a ‘pure’ representation of me as a creative now. Watch this space."

Fabrik: Last but not least, is there any piece of advice you’d like to share with young talent that is entering the field right now?

David Allain: "Find your voice, hone your craft, and be open to the unexpected."

Impossible Builds

Mon, 12 Aug 2019 22:35:00 GMT

According to the Abraham Maslow, one of the quintessential human needs is satisfying the need for stability. Placed at the lowermost parts of the now famous pyramids, it acts as the springboard for self-actualization. Modern psychology claims that in order to reveal the real self one must dissect the current notions of stability and essentials in order to redefine the individual’s needs for growth.

Stability as it seems may not be a given or it has to be completely reimagined. In a world where the path from fantasy to realisation is shorter than ever, our Fresh Future participants drew a clear trend towards outlining new stability forms that may look impossible at first sight but might actually be possible as the time passes.

A nuanced reflection of organizing thoughts and memories in the form of materials, where bending the laws of gravity becomes the modus operandi, artists from all over the world give new meaning to what’s logically achievable and how materials behave. Aided largely by the vast capabilities of digital design and simulation, all entries showcased here push the boundaries of what is achievable, and encompass a broad range of disciplines from architecture to installation to design and beyond.

New Environments

Taking cues from organic structures, patterns and materials, the artists present new structures within which humanity - future and present - can operate as an integral part of the ecosystem.

Half Light Candy Bowl Mashup

Chris Natrop

"Half Light Candy Bowl Mashup is an interior landscape, a view from within, a longing gaze out my living room window. It is the culmination of two-years worth of recording, processing, and cutting."

Chris Natrop

Organic Serie

Ariel Palanzone

"Part of an ongoing series. Working in advertising, I do not always have the opportunity to show my creative side as much as I would like to, and this- is why I try to use my free time to stimulate my artistic side. Those are the moments which are the most fun and represent freedom to me.

Surrealism is a style that appeals to me, because of its poetic perspective on the reality and constant questioning of rational, physical and logical conventions. I am also interested in artists from other styles and disciplines such as Tomas Maldonado, Lucio Fontana, Enio Iommi, Julio Le Parc and Erwin Wurm."

Ariel Palanzone

Workout

Alex Wifi

"These are some examples of my ongoing work in 2018. i'm using 3d software to explore (virtual) objective and spatial environments. i wouldn't dare to say that this one unified project, but rather some long term traverse through developing a language of my own, in which i hope to show some coherence or a somewhat clear vision of what i'm working towards. not by trying to describe it with words, but with visual, compositional communication."

Alex Wifi

New Order

Decomposing and structuring again and again, matching oddball combinations of materials, objects in an attempt to create an organized chaos and propose a new topography.

Facebook Year on Review

Gonzalo Miranda

"For this past 'Year on Review' I had the chance to work on the early design phase of the project. We created 6 images depicting movement, fun and happiness in colourful environments. Simple geometric shapes flying around in harmony.."

Gonzalo Miranda

Ramps

Gonzalo Miranda

"Ramps is born due to the collaboration with the Colombian product design studio Tu taller Design, headed by David Del Valle. They were kind enough to let me play with their objects and this is the result of a totally brief free and fun project, colorful images of their products showcased surrounded by simple architectural elements. The images were made to be exposed in their new Showroom located in their studio."

Gonzalo Miranda

Balancing Act

A metaphor for modern day’s challenges, where racing thoughts and unrealistic expectations take front and center stage, artists visualize the struggles and efforts of human beings using objects and structures as a vehicle for personal expression.

The Art of Balance

Jay Culley

"In a time of growing awareness of mental health, its so important we take the time to recognise when we are over working ourselves. 'The Art of Balance' aims to visualise and explore the pressure that females can feel in their day to day routines. Using 3D animation, it demonstrates how stacking unrealistic goals on top of each other can lead to self destruction."

Jay Culley

The FLW Studies

Karina Thome

"This project focuses on Frank Lloyd Wright's contribution to American culture as he created an iconic architectural identity for a country which had no architectural personality for it's time. As I toured his structures throughout his Chicago, I found myself enamoured in taking photos of his work, as true muses live in his eaves and windows. This illustrated series was developed from the photos I took and uses a contemporary palette to recognize the timelessness and prevalence of his architecture on our culture and society still today."

Karina Thome

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 19 entry pool. Compiled by Villy Devlioti and Tim Jarvis.
08.2019

Urbanscapes

Sun, 13 Jan 2019 22:02:00 GMT

Whichever the latitude, most cities have a trait in common: constant influx of people, talent, capital. Housing crises, crime, buzzing highways, luxury condos, and secret alleys form a mosaic of sceneries, which are mutually exclusive and complimentary to the urban experience.

Such various urban-scapes cramped with different cultures, create a unique patchwork of trends; a vital airway to self expression. In addition, they help establish a timestamp, which will never be replicated in the course of time. Despite their somewhat daunting looks and harsh realities, cities are the birthplace of cultural movements which have shifted behavioral standards and stirred political discourse.

One would argue that cities offer the perfect -and often dystopian- canvas to paint dreams, put lyrics and rhymes together and compile visual and musical symphonies that alter the mundane perspective to provide a window for opportunity. After all, from the Mod generation, to the Beatniks and, most recently, Grime, the cities are intrinsically woven with the artist’s mind and the drive to transform concrete landscapes into platforms where creativity thrives.

All the works featured below come from the Fresh 18 entries and provide a different perspective on how the artists view and experience the life in the city, either by observing its daily musings or by creating their ideal urbanscape.

City through the seasons

Finding the interesting and unexpected in the never-ending seasons cycle.

Triangles

Chris T. Ramos

"I tried to capture what I think is the essence of a Street Photograph."

Chris T. Ramos

Finding Me, Losing You

Melissa Bilancio

"It’s about finding the good in the separation of space between human connection."

Melissa Bilancio

Capturing Japan

Tye

"My attempt at capturing the atmosphere throughout Japan on my travels."

Tye

The alley grid

Often associated with the illegal, secretive and filthy, there’s beauty in the overlooked alleys that shape the urban grid.

Swimming Pools

Maria Ario

"A lake of water in an alley - just as beautiful as the art."

Maria Ario

Keilaniemi

Antti Tassberg

"A personal project where I studied the architecture of the new subway stations in my city."

Antti Tassberg

Urban Guernica

Larger formats works, which accumulate a collection of memorabilia, combined to re-create landscapes or form new ones.

Minor U.S. Cities

Andrew Soria

"These selects works explore some of the small forgotten areas throughout the US. They are the places that seem to slip through the cracks, and provide unique characteristics of the city."

Andrew Soria

The City

Mooiste

"The City is a compilation of characteristic places for the history of my hometown. It was a city of great industry. This is a kind of self-portrait - my fascination for factories and constructions."

Mooiste

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Villy Devlioti with help from our Curators.
11.2018

Glitch, Mix, Slide: A perpetual work in progress

Fri, 30 Nov 2018 16:08:00 GMT

In 2018, we witnessed the popularization of "very satisfying" videos — these are videos which show the process behind creating something - anything - and provide a sense of fulfillment to the viewer. Throughout the course of Fresh 18 there has been an ever-present current of art that made frequent appearances: glitch, mix and slide techniques were a favourite among digital visual artists. There are a number of sources behind this trend.

First of all, let’s not forget the fascinating connection between artistic expression and technology. David Hockney recently argued that without metal color tubes, there would be no Impressionism, the former facilitating portability, the latter drawing themes from the great outdoors. The same stands true with the glitch, mix and slide approach. The rise of such techniques is aided by the introduction of powerful hardware and software, capable of billions of computations per second. The more complex the software, the higher the definition of the puzzle piece, the larger the set of discrete values, which once combined produce a piece of art unique but equally possible.

This is a very interesting train of thought, indeed. The endless possibilities that define the outcome, all infinite and equal, are perfect on their own. In a sense, all exhibits leave it up to the viewer to define what the final version of an artwork would be and all opinions offered on the matter are equal. It is safe to assume that individuality and respect of one’s own expectations and interpretations exceed the artist's initial expectations. There is indeed a feeling of fulfillment to the viewer, as they witness and participate in the crafting process.

One could claim that this is yet another sign of democratisation of art in its rawer form: a laborious, lengthy process; a series of iterations mirroring the artist’s state of mind from frustration to exaltation; the art as a vehicle of perpetual food for thought which changes depending on one’s needs, habits, cultural associations and perception.

The art as universal and as personal as it gets.

The following selection of oeuvres highlights all the themes introduced before: the role of technology in creating high definition, works with an element of distortion or in a yet-complete state of flux, hybrid universes and flowing shapes, evolving in the bat of an eyelid.

The identity/anonymity pendulum

In an era where everything is data and singular data sets can positively identify a person, an artist’s reflection on anonymity takes the high definition road - and a stroke of digital brush wipes it all away.

We are made of... !!

Felo Odriozola

"It's about disintegration of our soul"

Felo Odriozola

Weary

Alexy Préfontaine

"This series was born from a happy lighting accident during late night experiments. They ended up describing how I felt during this summer of 2017, having so much going on at the same time. Weary was also a breakthrough into a completely different visual style for me as an artist. This project was inspired by Patrick Sluiter's incredible aesthetic and Rik Oostenbroek's abstract renders."

Alexy Préfontaine

Lovers I & II

Nick Sullo

"A physical embrace between two lovers."

Nick Sullo

Eye

Ken Long

"A peek into the window to the soul."

Ken Long

Bridging realities

3D is for what mortals see, but for the sci-fi utopia we need a multidimensional canvas, where space is relevant, time is a constant, and all realities, shapes and forms are equally possible.

Dripping Colours

Arseny Vesnin

"Dripping Colours is a piece from Glitch Art series combined to reflect on the topic of Digital Data and its fragility."

Arseny Vesnin

Skies

Arseny Vesnin

"Skies is the last piece of Glitch Art series to reflect the Digital Data and it's fragility. Files corruption, memory loss is a typical life of our data. Data has senses and it is alive, it can control and obey, destroy and create, it is everything in our digital life and nothing until we share it. Skies is a purgatory of dead and unnecessary data, it is a place where files goes after you dump your trash bin on desktop or mobile."

Arseny Vesnin

World of Pixels

Jonathan Swecker

"Trying to make things that people will look at and ask how? I've always tried to create things that trigger emotions in viewers that will make them happy or feel a certain way. Also using my camera and creating effects to give a different perspective on ordinary objects is fun. These shots keep me going in my career and will hopefully inspire others to try to think outside the box."

Jonathan Swecker

The superiority of Now

The mix of oil colours and water is not only an expression of art but also an act of mindfulness. Freezing the osmosis is the ultimate celebration of nowness.

Hold your hair deep devotion

Alycia Rainaud

"Hold your hair deep devotion / Confusion in her eyes that says it all / Layla. Here are some works I created in 2017 for my Digital Art account : Malavida. Working with paint, programming, photography and colours for an abstract visual effect."

Alycia Rainaud

The Buzz

Wizmo

"A warm afternoon in August. There's only you in the park. A smooth breeze of fresh air and the trembling metallic sounds of insects flying by."

Wizmo

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Villy Devlioti with help from our Curators.
11.2018

Here Come the 90's

Wed, 17 Oct 2018 17:46:00 GMT

The Clintons, Mikhail Gorbachev in Pizza Hut ads, the nascent dot com bubble, Cool Britannia, rave parties and Madonna, the grunge scene of Seattle and Beverly Hills, Valley girls, East End boys and West End girls. Never again has the world been in such a perfect harmony, drenched in euphoria, plunging the western world in a pool of abundance and blissfulness.

The 90's at a glance - the last decade of a century which shaped the world at whirlwind speeds. The culmination of a generation born war-free, worry-free and perhaps the last generation to be debt-free. All these themes keep making a come back right now, not necessarily because the key premises are true, but perhaps because the state of affairs during the recent years has delivered a devastating blow to the last crumbs of palpable innocence and optimism.

The argument is compelling for creators and artists to recreate the better but not so older times and we have observed them during Fresh 18, too. The 90's and its nonchalant tutti fruity of aesthetics, represent everyman’s coming of age: The rite of passage from the awkward teenager struggling to find its identity, to the firm, vocal citizen in today’s turbulent world. At the core of the 90's the light of optimism to keep pushing, failing, and succeeding forward.

The 90's design

A kaleidoscopic mix of colors, forms, a more mature, digestible approach to the sharp edges and bold colors of the 80's.

Peepholes

Kristyna Archer

"Peepholes is a voyeuristic series exploring abstractions of the bodies' orifices."
Kristyna Archer

Dreams / Treasures

Comma

"My art evokes in me a feeling of joy and resonate with good vibrations, which I wish to spread to all who look at my work"
Comma

Excerpt from the Everyday Project

Radik Sitdikov

"Exploring modern communication and existence in the digital world."
Radik Sitdikov

A Different Splash (After David Hockney)

Jeffrey Jay Jarin

"The concept of the work is about time. We all know that David Hockney's 'A Bigger Splash' is a very clean depiction of an ideal and calm American lifestyle. But what would the surroundings look like now if it was neglected for so some time?"
Jeffrey Jay Jarin

Generation Grunge

The Seattle scene of Pearl Jam, Nirvana: the first MTV generation proudly parading gawky figures, statement hairstyles and Baudelairian physiques.

Discolouration

Lily Zoumpouli

"Capturing glances of the moments that passed us by, in times when we were maybe too young to realise that they weren’t there to stay until eternity would have torn us apart. But still old enough to know they were worth noticing.

The need for a way of connecting through a medium with my own feelings and surroundings became the catalyst of this works existence. Each photograph has a background story that carries on its shoulders the reason for its own memory."
Lily Zoumpouli

The 90's

Raquel

"A beautiful capture of the last few decades in one image, the props, the colours, the hair - it's got attitude. A hard thing to capture."
Ian Fooks

"This series is all style. Simple idea perfectly executed. Like."
Tim Jarvis

90’s Bab

Myles Mack

"It’s about recreating vintage, grainy, film feeling photography."
Myles Mack

Sensuality

Andres Daniel

"I created this self portrait with the intent to express a more sensual side of me than most people are used to seeing. I find that waves and water symbolize the fluidity of sexuality, and view flowers as a way to symbolize the feeling of sensuality."
Andres Daniel

Humans

Essence Ransome-Ambersley

"We are all connected, but our individuality always reveals itself."
Essence Ransome-Ambersley

Shape & Shadow

Jody Mattioli

Janke X Patrizia Pepe Editorial
Jody Mattioli

Look at me, Feel me

Juan Dulcey

"I found you, I found a lost world, magic and fantasy, I found a place where I feel alive in the present and the distance, I found you, I immersed myself in a dream that overcomes reality."
Juan Dulcey

Wanderland

Joey Mendoza

"To me this set was about freedom of being lost of being confident in yourself those expression of satisfaction came to life while in the wild sometimes we need to be naked in the woods to truly experience life. when's the last time you were? this has to be one of my favorite sets to date just because me and her worked so well and it came out perfect to emotion the style the look you can sense the lust the wander."
Joey Mendoza

Vogue

Whether it’s Madonna’s anthem or the legendary edition, Vogue redefines fashion, feminism, gender roles and purpose, paying homage to the poster child of an era: Oliviero Toscani.

Just breath, just believe

Cia Lamata

"Just breath, just believe."
Cia Lamata

Vanity Pop

Otha Davis III

"Vanity Pop is a celebration of women, beauty, fashion, duality, insecurity and self preservation. With that foundation, My abstract portraits are a visual dialogue about our society’s idolization of beauty, the cosmetic enhancements endured to meet the status quo and the impact this has on popular culture. Although my work looks like collage, it’s in fact, meticulously hand painted to blur the boundaries between perception and reality.

By juxtaposing my subjects with diverse “perfect” features, I believe it speaks about the fragmentation within us all as we strive for acceptance. My aim is to produce art that consistently ignites discussion, captivates the senses and most importantly, question the importance we place on outer appearances."
Otha Davis III

PeopleofcolorOhio

Lamar Jones

"Photos for a Local Brand in CLE/CHI."
Lamar Jones

Different color, same skin

Laura Zamora

"These photographs try to reflect the equality of all people regardless of the color of your skin."
Laura Zamora

Technicolour Dreams

Colour, more colour and patterns! It’s not fashion revisited, it’s a solid comeback.

Kresles Debut Collection

Wynona Andrea Domingo

"Kresles is a brand featuring spiced-up street wear for the wild spirit. This lookbook features the brand's Debut Collection"
Wynona Andrea Domingo

Stranger Things

Jimmy Fermin

"Inspired by Alexander Berdin-Lazursky work 'Lamb Of Future' I wanted to replicate this very concept of angelic mixed in with the technological. It's an amazing idea of old with new, I definitely enjoyed this one."
Jimmy Fermin

Saturation

Jeana Lindo

"Berchell and I collaborated for this photoshoot showcasing male companionship and black pride. His designs are about cultural fusion and an exploration of texture and print. He combines African wax prints and athleticwear fabrics to create unique streetwear pieces."
Jeana Lind

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Villy Devlioti with help from our Curators.
10.2018

Instagrammable

Wed, 05 Sep 2018 14:05:00 GMT

'Doing it for the gram'. Instagram is the source behind an abundance of nascent terms and phrases occupying our vocabularies. A social network with unparalleled dynamism and an influence which extends into the way we pose, dress, eat and, ultimately, live. Instagram has its own ethos and code of conduct for those taking it seriously. Most importantly, it has given a platform to new artists and new means of expression and self-discovery to aspiring creatives and models.

It wouldn’t be far fetched to claim that Instagram has inspired a visual revolution. The platform is inherently inclusive and fosters content democratization through its vast reach. It has also developed into an eclectic marketplace where photographers find their muses and artists find their voice with new projects and collaborations sprouting every other scroll of the thumb. It is no coincidence that the latter are paving the way for new aesthetic currents to emerge; from fashion, to colour grading, to post-production and “millennial pastels”, all major publications and industry connoisseurs are taking notes in an effort to unpack and decode the new trends. Everyone is doing everything for the gram.

The ‘Grammification’ of art was a strong contender and theme during our Fresh 18 awards. We collected the most characteristic examples, which showcase the ways in which photographers and their models articulate on confidence, attitudes, how they decompose and restructure the meaning of Selfies and offer a fresh approach to fashion, styling and casting. Have a look.

Next-Door-Earthlings

The photographer as the extension of the model, in a journey of confidence and optics.

The 90's

Raquel

"A beautiful capture of the last few decades in one image, the props, the colours, the hair - it's got attitude. A hard thing to capture."
Ian Fooks

"This series is all style. Simple idea perfectly executed. Like."
Tim Jarvis

Hat-Trick

Harry Lee

"Reminds me of Marlon Brando in 'The Wild One' only in this case the protagonist is rather benevolent."
Villy Devlioti

"The hat being a simple metephor for occupation, representing to me that no matter where you're located you can find something you love and make it a living."
Harry Lee

Sarawberry

Jose Otero

"Just a girl, walking by a photo studio and taking it by storm."
Villy Devlioti

"There is a whole movement that revolves around photographers and models bouncing around the world; intersecting for a moment and then moving on - with just a shot to mark the occasion. A new process of working together with a new sort of reward."
Tim Jarvis

Rose Colored Glasses

Missy Monoxide

"Rising from the shadows, and boldly making our presence known in a male-dominated industry. We are like the Phoenix."
Missy Monoxide

"I love how the smoke effect becomes part of the model’s attire and, ultimately, identity, while she lowers her shades asking ‘What do you know about me?”. Brilliant."
Villy Devlioti

"This is perfect Instagram; interesting, dynamic and it doesn't bend to brand, campaign or ad exec."
Tim Jarvis

Life's Like A Balloon

Molly Stephens

"The immediate pull of the image takes away from the subtleness of grading, structure and hidden messages."
Ian Fooks

"There's a simple, blunt honesty to this shot that appeals to me. Like what i'm about or scroll on."
Tim Jarvis

Unapologetically Real

Selfies are no longer considered as shameless bragging - they’re proof of self-discovery and experimentation, in the form of polaroids.

The Insides; That's What's Beautiful

Adina Salome Harnischfeger

"I stopped while removing my make-up because I realized that in that moment I was pure, totally myself, not beautiful and not trying to be."
Adina Salome Harnischfeger

"Refreshing honesty in an otherwise perfected world."
Ian Fooks

"A moment of purity in every sense of the word."
Villy Devlioti

You're Just a Feeling

Maria Vargas

"I wanted to create something outside of the box, utilizing food in a way to alter the way we view women and sexuality."
Maria Vargas

"It's really refreshing to see the female gaze at work in simple photographer and model combinations - the result is more sensitive and more collaborative."
Tim Jarvis

Caim

Ginebra Siddal

"Her inner own world, like an astronaut, searching for love on other planet."
Ginebra Siddal

"This self-portrait by the photographer is part of a larger series that deals with themes that touch on isolation, objectivity and distance - which allows us a glimpse of creativity as a tool for working through your feelings, as well as simply expressing them."
Tim Jarvis

Styling As Identity As Styling

Breaking down the barriers of model casting and high fashion, these photographer provide evidence that style is eternal and that style is character, indeed.

Yuri

Hannah Overbeek

"In a world of constant and ever-evolving reference, sometimes an arresting image reminds you of the simplicity colour can bring to an image."
Ian Fooks

"This series is about picking a colour and playing with it. Like a learning exercise, it's just about seeing what happens."
Tim Jarvis

La Vie En Rose

Nicole Aimi

"I was inspired by the song sung by Edith Piaf. Taking influence from 20's fashion and crossing it with classic french accessories, I created an angelic-like old film set."
Nicole Aimi

"I like the fact that I cannot actually pinpoint this photoshoot at a specific time. It can be in the 1920s as the artist suggests, but the colour process is reminiscent of the 1970s or 1980s. It's time agnostic, so potentially eternal."
Villy Devlioti

Rockstar Warrior

Andrea K

"So much personality, it transcends the screen. Captivating."
Villy Devlioti

"There's a bravery here - not just to push styling into new directions, but to be defiant in ignoring the reason and purpose of a commercially-justifiable shoot and just doing it for the hell of it."
Tim Jarvis

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Tim Jarvis and Villy Devlioti with help from our Curators.
09.2018

Fantastic Beasts

Tue, 07 Aug 2018 15:56:00 GMT

Imagination is the mind’s powerful creative outlet, shaping worlds and creatures which extend the boundaries of feasible. These products of one’s vivacious intellect can interpret everyday’s life stimuli in a completely different way and map an impossible cosmos, waiting to be explored.

Little did we know that there would be a way to tame these beasts and make them part of the creative process, leading to incredible manifestations of artistry. The rise of the AI and the ‘Mindful I’ has helped expand the horizons of creativity and tear down boundaries of imagination. These beasts extend the artist’s identity and transcend shapes and laws of physics. Sometimes they disrupt the course of things, oftentimes they become a vital part of the canvas and the surrounding ecosystem. Plasticity and energy combined to unveil a creature which is part of one’s duality, or a completely new concept.

Fantastic Beasts were a strong current in Fresh 18 awards and have rewarded us with spectacular entries, that have captivated the energy and have given shape to creatures formerly living only inside an artist’s mind. Using a variety of techniques, mixed materials and projection, the artists cast their spells and invite us into a mythical world and, who knows? Soon, it might be part of our reality.

Here’s a selection of the strongest representatives for the Fantastic Beasts Insight report, along with expert commentary by Fresh curators.

Posthuman Futures

Data, science and dystopian creatures are in charge.

Data

Florian DKS

"Expanding on a theme I've explored before, DATA is a deification of a being and its personality, shattered by an overwhelming exposure to conflicting data online."
Florian DKS

"Sometime data makes up a person and other times it tears them apart. This character encompasses a poetic paradox, whether between good and evil or health and malaise. It leads me to ask is it the darkness eating the light or the light repelling the darkness?"
Jessica Kantor

"In general I’m not too much in this type of realisation. But I'm captured by this one. Totally in line with what the society needs to deal with to challenge digital in the future."
Patrick Curtet

Battery Powered Gods

Sevi Iko Dømochevsky

"Sevi isn't the only artist building imaginary beings and constructs into everyday mundane scenes, but the pieces he creates are so incredible, so extreme that they're completely individual, original, whilst still retaining a realism that is sort of believable. Like you're viewing something that's always there through a special camera, rather than a rendering of his imagination."
Tim Jarvis

"If the earth treated us the way we treat her, it would result in mutated humans."
Jessica Kantor

"The whole 'Battery powered gods' series is beautifully conceived and executed. The grading and colour palettes really define the work."
Ian Fooks

Essay About The Collision of Realities

Diego L. Rodríguez

"There are many things in this world that we don't understand. We THINK we do, but actually, our own science and universal rules are changing all the time. Every new discovery and research -from ancient cultures, to quantum physics- put our ideals into a roulette of questions about what 'reality' means."
Diego L. Rodríguez

"What is it that I don't see every time I look at you? If only I wasn't confined with my mind."
Jessica Kantor

"Great technique. Quite aspirational. A bit too much in the future for me, but I find some sensitivity in this art. Great technique and I like the color tone. I would definitely follow this artist."
Patrick Curtet

What A Happy Picture, just kidding, they all died after this

Malcolm Crowther

"Made To Screw With You, Because Everything Is Actually Crap."
Malcolm Crowther

"The artist thinks they all died but the joke's on him. They were just passing thru."
Jessica Kantor

"I'd love to know how Malcolm Crowther got to this finished article; if that feeling envoked by Deryk Thomas-esque distant illustrations in childhood books wasn't the result of an accidental path of trial and error - messing about with materials in Cinema 4D, then it's possible he meant to do this and he's a real living genius."
Tim Jarvis

Introspection

Fighting the inner beasts: Understanding the artist’s and humanity's purpose in relation to cosmos and reality.

Inhale – Exhale – Inspire – Create

Alberto Cittone

"Is the human invading nature or is nature invading the human?"
Jessica Kantor

"I’m curious about this artist. I’m not totally in and this is not my world, but I recognise a great talent and a very nice technique. I’m sure this art would find his public. Well done."
Patrick Curtet

Kentagona

Felix Rothschild

"This piece is about the manifestation of life's struggles."
Felix Rothschild

"Creating the angular shapes and lines and then lighting them as Felix has is no mean feat. A really expressive piece of work."
Ian Fooks

"This creature carries the pain it take to fully surrender."
Jessica Kantor

"Very interesting and really appealing to me. The emotion is there and I feel movement and violence in this art. Nicely done. I'd love go around a real realisation."
Patrick Curtet

Enlightenment is a Destructive Process

Pierre Fudaryli

"The piece is sustained and inspired by the phrase of adyashanti: 'Enlightenment is a destructive process. It has nothing to do with becoming better or being happier. Enlightenment is the crumbling away of untruth. It's seeing through the facade of pretence. It's the complete eradication of everything we imagined to be true.'"
Pierre Fudaryli

"The conception, composition and execution of Pierre's piece is as flawless as it is magnificent. The scope of what he's achieving with still life is really important."
Tim Jarvis

"What's the point if it doesn't lead to happiness? I look at the despair in this beasts face and wonder if the truth even matters."
Jessica Kantor

"There’s some great thought behind this realisation. This art needs some explanation and this is something that brings me apart. It’s something you need to dig in. Is the public ready for this?"
Patrick Curtet

Nouveau Baroque

A fresh take on the famous ornate style.

Combustion

Carol Connett

"The effects of catastrophic wildfire on nature."
Carol Connett

"Looking at these works and it reminds me that every creature is made up of the same particles. We all have a little bit of each other inside us."
Jessica Kantor

Funeral for Decapitated Cherub

Adam Kerosene

"Adam Kerosene's work imagines him as spectator and narrator; plainly recording what he sees in these realities. That willingness to belong within, rather than simply to compose, his imagination, allows him to explore it more fully and more deeply."
Tim Jarvis

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Tim Jarvis and Villy Devlioti with help from our Curators.
08.2018

Road Trip

Wed, 27 Jun 2018 13:35:00 GMT

New avenues, uncharted territories, highways for the connoisseurs. The cravers and the curious explored under the power of engines, or by the humble force of one’s bare feet alone walking or pushing against the pedal of a bike. So many paths to take, so many ways to explore them.

Road tripping can be a frighteningly solitary experience, because let’s face it; even when you’re traveling with the closest of friends, the process almost explicitly involves a tremendous amount of introspection, self-preservation and self-evaluation against circumstances unknown.

It's the very reason popular culture has always painted such forays into the great outdoors and the emotional unknown as the perennial opportunity for one to put their bonds with friends and values to the test.

Whichever thesis you may adopt on the subject, it is this cathartic process that has been the core of stories said, written and sang throughout the course of the years. Ultimately, paraphrasing C. Kavafy’s poem - it’s the road that matters and not the destination.

Countless stories have been shared about the hardships, discoveries and joys of traveling. This year has been one of them, where road stories flooded Fresh 18 entries, providing us with a rare glimpse at the fellow travellers as well as the corners of the world that do not get the glamorous treatment; hidden nooks which expose the beauty, the ordinary, the glorious and inconceivable grandeur of our Earthly home.

Travellers

A shared experience is a profound experience. Fellow travelers share more than the views; they also share time, space, thoughts.

Without You

Gio Soto

"I love the absolute surrender in this photo. The head out the window, the world passing by and hair floating with the freedom of the unknown."
Jessica Kantor

"I love the composition and overall mood of everything. From the expression to the hair to the mountains, it all tells a silent story."
Gio Soto

"Captures the feeling of being free, leaving your responsibilities behind and starting on a new adventure. Even if it’s only a short escape."
Maree Frakes

"Travelling is not always moving your body but your soul and feelings."
Wences Sanz

"A powerful image of escape, as if that journey gave her a sense of freedom and that she was able to breathe again."
Karl Velasco

Hercules

Dusty Knapp

"Aria came to the shoot in her baby blue Bronco and she seemed to feel so home in it. I had to capture the feeling of being comforted by the thoughts we sometimes place in inanimate objects."
Dusty Knapp

The Gear

Going back to reliable basics.

Abroad

Noah Ayadi

"Taking the right picture is nothing. Everything happen long time before you press the button."
Patrick Curtet

Winter Sun at Cape Kiwanda

Alex Hinson

"This a precious time at sunrise whens the world comes alive. Being awake before everybody else give you such a great feeling of uniqueness."
Patrick Curtet

"A painting of light with the van giving us as a frame, a reflection and sense of scale. All of these images depict the major learning one gets from spending time on the road."
Jessica Kantor

"Is there anything more humbling than watching the sun rise and set over the ocean? A profound reminder of the beauty in the things we take for granted the most."
Maree Frakes

"That’s my kind of luxury. My loves and passions in one spot at the same time."
Wences Sanz

Snap A Selfie

Carameluh

"You see yourself, but I see you."
Jessica Kantor

"I wanted to stop time, to remember that moment, when I used to go on a road trip I always felt that I was flying, so I wanted to capture that..."
Carameluh

"Looking past selfie-culture, the juxtaposition of the self and the wide, open landscape speaks to self-discovery; often synonymous with road tripping."
Maree Frakes

"Self-confidence is more than selfies. You need to see yourself the way you are."
Wences Sanz

Time-Warp

Ben Droege

"Simple intimate moment of life. Those thoughts come to me when I look at this series."
Patrick Curtet

"Every moment is over before we realize it arrived, so we want to see the present in a photo - but really it's only layers of our past."
Jessica Kantor

"Dust, melancholy, loneliness, I fell it’s autumn and I’m in my favorite spots, dreaming."
Wences Sanz

"Reminds me of my own youth, trying to put together two VW Beetles to make one, and the frustration of doing it with shite tools and a Haynes manual."
Nick Clement

"Positivity and hope against the broken down van reminded me that in our youth, the urge to explore and experience is so strong that whatever obstacles get in our way, we somehow persist with the journey."
Karl Velasco

Landscapes

That’s what we’re here for. The big shots.

Desert Walks

Jake Brown

"I like the idea of showing how the human is so small in the world. When you have conscience of this you becoming more humble and this is how you should look to the future. Travel, look and listen. Then you’ll grow up."
Patrick Curtet

"There is an endless landscape for us to explore. Constantly changing, always fresh."
Jessica Kantor

"We are nothing. We are small. We are part of something bigger."
Wences Sanz

"The landscape, though beautiful, emits a sense of danger. The exploration feels like a rite of passage, a journey that one must take to learn more about oneself."
Karl Velasco

Abroad

Noah Ayadi

"These photos remind me that we're just a tiny spec, on a small rock orbiting a modest star in a very tiny corner of the universe."
Jessica Kantor

Frozen Iceland

Armand Nour

"Best investment for a photographer; a good pair of shoes and an alarm clock set on the early hours. Walk. Travel."
Patrick Curtet

"We try to imitate the nature but we cannot compete."
Wences Sanz

Life is about moments

Cam McLean

"'Life is about moments' perfectly describes the feelings I get when I am able to capture a moment while out exploring the highways, back-roads, and trails of western Canada. Life can be full of these moments, you just have to look for them."
Cam McLean

Fresh Insight
The Insight programme explores ideas and concepts from across the Fresh 18 entry pool. Compiled by Tim Jarvis and Villy Devlioti with Jessica Kantor and Patrick Curtet.
06.2018

A Testament to Artistry

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 14:33:00 GMT

Battery Powered Gods

Sevi Iko Dømochevsky

Representing the Art categories, digital artist Sevi Iko Dømochevsky's Fine Art gold entry 'Battery Powered Gods' is an exploration of the primitive essence of the soul; unleashed and freed from our natural laws it mutates into something new, something physical. By masterfully marrying the real and the fantastical this series demands attention.

255/275

Yorokobu Cover

Guille Llano

The Design categories are championed with a double-gold winning entry in Illustration and Motion Graphics; Guille Llano's 'Yorokobu Cover’ is presented both in print and in motion. This is typography piece based on the school materials that Guille used as a child. A wonderful play on negative space.

241/275

#areyouthere

Shiouwen Hong

Fashion’s leading entry was ‘#areyouthere'; a gold-winning short film by LA-based filmmaker Shiouwen Hong that questions social media identities and explores the relationship between our digital and physical selves. The film ebbs with a dark energy and glamour that sets it apart in tone and subject from much of it’s genre.

247/275

Free Your Mind

Anthony Capristo

Film is fronted by Anthony Capristo’s gold-winning Commercial & Branded Content spot for Nike; 'Free Your Mind' - a short that to invites you to establish your own ruleset and create your own new reality. Influenced by the aesthetics of MTV and inspired by the dreamlike language of surrealist art, Anthony's work pairs strong styling with a narrative that spans tropes from alternative subcultures.

263/275

Showreel

Enrique Gracia Herrera

Representing the Motion Graphics categories, motion designer Enrique Garcia Herrara takes the Gold spot in the VFX category with his Showreel; spanning lush digital environments that marry real and abstract geometry, futurism and impossible organisms, objects and interactions. There are moments of utter beauty here.

253/275

Enlightenment is a Destructive Process

Pierre Fudaryli

The photographic categories are by led a magnificent portrait; sustained and inspired by a phrase from spiritual teacher and author Adyashanti: 'Enlightenment is a Destructive Process’. Artist Pierre Fudaryli’s gold-winning Retouching & Post piece blasts through the facade of pretence, it is incredible.

262/275

The Multiplier Effect

Mon, 02 Apr 2018 15:08:00 GMT

Before we get stuck into the gritty details let's take a look at the Fresh scoring process.

How we score entries

Entries are scored on five criteria; originality, freshness, inspiration, context and craft. When judging is complete the criteria scores are averaged for each entry, and Fresh’s internal multiplier is applied - which weights the five criteria independently.

Scores for the criteria are then combined, resulting in a single score for each entry. The entry is then measured against the other entries within it’s category.

Entries can score up to a total of 275 points. An entry needs to reach a score higher than 225 to be eligible for gold, 200 to be eligible for silver and 175 to be eligible for a bronze or carbon award.

How we award entries

Each category can only have one gold, silver and bronze winner, unless two entries carry exactly the same score; in which case they’ll both carry the highest award their score allows.

Eligibility tiers mean that sometimes a category may not have a gold winner or silver. This helps ensure a level standard of quality across the entire showcase. A piece of work that would be graded silver in one category couldn’t win gold in another.

Eligibility tiers are crucial in ensuring that creatives submitting a lot of entries can't easily acquire all of the awards in the categories they're entering - unless, of course, the work is extremely good and outperforms all the other entries in the category. But does submitting several entries really pay off?

Let's look at our five highest performing entrants:

Owen Gildersleeve

1086/1375

With a combined score of 1086/1375 across three entries, London-based illustrator Owen's work really resonated with the judges. That number gives him a 79% amazing rating. Picking up the Graphic Gold and Illustration Silver for Outside Lands, Editorial Silver and Illustration Carbon with his Variety500 entry, and Editorial Carbon for Welcome to the Golden Age of Conservative Magazines.

Luke Manning

1005/1375

With a combined score of 1005/1375 across three entries, the Bristol-based designer showed consistent quality. That brings Luke in at 73% amazing. He picked up Packaging Silver and an Illustration Carbon for his Wood Brothers Vodka bottles, Packaging and Branding Carbons for his work with Bristol Syrup Company, and another Packaging Carbon for Ideas come in weird places; a self-initiated project.

Peter Marsden

940/1100

London-based filmmaker Peter submitted three entries and came out with a combined score of 940/1100, making him 85% amazing. Peter's work scored amazingly well and picked up four awards; Music Video Gold for his Lunice promo, Music Video Silver and Narrative Bronze for his promo for Berlin drummer-composer Cid Rim and picking up a Music Video Carbon for his Suicideyear promo.

Mount Audio

906/1100

London creative sound studio Mount Audio produced a series of collaborative efforts in 2017 called Forms. They entered three of those collaborations to Fresh 18 and earned a combined score of 906/1100, making them 82% amazing. Both awarded entries; Forms II and Forms III won double Carbon awards between the categories of Animation, Motion Graphics and VFX; a very consistent score and efficient use of the entry allocation.

Ariel Palanzone

738/1100

Buenos Aires digital artist Ariel submitted three winning entries, earning him a combined score of 738/1100. That makes him 67% amazing. Ariel picked up one Bronze and two Carbon's in Sculpture, and an Installation Carbon with his works Rosa Metalica, Pensador and Infinite Orden.

So does it pay dividends to enter your work into multiple categories? Well yes. It won't help you win a category, but it does help your presence when viewing a category. Taking a look at the categories for Editorial, Packaging, Music Video and for Sculpture we see strong presence from four of these five creatives.

However, do we see jury fatigue in marking work that looks similar? All but one of the six creatives that made the Best in Book submitted a single entry, which hints to us that quality definitely sparks the interests of our judges over quantity. Furthermore, the three entries that scored the highest across the entire pool of approved work each came from creators that submitted just one entry each.

Ello Artists Invite Winners

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 15:04:00 GMT

Launching something from nothing is a daunting task. With no rulebook to follow, and no previous experience to draw from, the journey from idea to reality feels like walking a blind path of bouncing off walls and climbing up hills you didn't know existed.

"In spreading the word that Frēsh had opened for creatives to enter their work, I reached out to Todd and Mark at Ello to put together an artists invite that would allow Ello's community to add their work to Frēsh."

Ello and Fabrik have mission statements that are aligned.

Founded in 2013 by a collection of artists & designers, Ello re-imagines the future of creative work by providing a contemporary forum and virtual workplace for artists, brands, agencies, publishers, and their fans. Ello are as committed to advancing art and creative opportunity as we are at Fabrik. We stand by Ello's statement that "by empowering and rewarding today’s creators with visibility, influence and professional opportunity that we can embolden a generation of talent and transform the way creative work gets done".

As part of the Artists Invite we asked Ello's curator team to personally pick five entries to the Invite that would be recognised within Frēsh 18 for their individual and original creativity.

Poster Poster

Fikra

French Kiss

Jason Ebeyer

Orange isn't the New Black

Assiah Alcazar

Naturalezas Muertas

Juan Pablo Palarino

Crazy Eyes

Shay Williams

Tim Jarvis
03.2018

All Categories Are Not Equal

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 11:16:00 GMT

Inclusivity and transparency by default. In keeping with this ideology we wanted to lift the lid on the scoring structure of the 28 creative categories that comprised the Frēsh 18 entry pool. Let's recap on scoring first.

Scoring and Awarding Entries

All approved entries will score between 55 and 275 points. An entry needs to reach a score higher than 225 to be eligible for gold, 200 to be eligible for silver and 175 to be eligible for a bronze or carbon award. Each category can only have one gold, silver and bronze winner, unless two entries carry exactly the same score; in which case they’ll both carry the highest award their score allows.

Eligibility tiers mean that sometimes a category may not have a gold winner or silver. This helps ensure a level standard of quality across the entire showcase. Including the carbon awards, a category can hold up to 8 winning entries - but if the entries don't meet the eligibility limits, a category will have less winners.

The Averages

If all entries can be scored between 55 and 275 then it's pretty easy to call the middle point; 165. But how does that actually work out? By taking all of the approved entries from the entry pool and averaging their scores we can find the average entry score. For this year it comes out at 163.7

So it seems we had some harsh judges! But comforting to know they weren't straying too far away from the median. Let's present those numbers more clearly so we can see them at a glance.

	Thoretical Median Score	165.0

	Actual Median Score	163.7

We can get more granular. We can express the six creative genres in terms of their median scores. This gives us a very rough quality metric against which we can score the kind of work that was being entered into the Frēsh 18 call for entries.

	Genre	Median Score

	Motion & 3D	190.3

	Art	162.5

	Photography	154.6

	Fashion	154.5

	Film	146.2

	Design	142.1

We can see a marked difference between the median score for the Motion & 3D categories (comprising Animation, CGI & Character, Motion Graphics and VFX), and all the rest. This genre of creativity either resonates particularly well with the judging panel, or the work submitted into those categories is significant.

To investigate this we can build an entry quality table for all the categories from the averaged scores of just the winning entries. Expressed as an average score within each category, this gives us a snapshot of how the winners stack up in each category. We can also use our gold, silver and bronze score tiers to represent the average score for each category.

Category	Winners	Of Approved	Avg. Score

Retouching & Post	8	15%	248.6

CGI & Character	8	19%	240.8

Commercial & Branded Content	8	15%	239.3

Fine Art	8	7%	237.5

Narrative	8	22%	230.6

Motion Graphics	8	17%	229.5

VFX	8	31%	228.6

Music Video	8	21%	226.6

Cinematography	8	19%	225.5

Animation	8	19%	223.5

Illustration	8	5%	222.0

Portraiture	8	4%	219.8

Documentary	8	22%	216.5

Landscape & Natural	8	12%	214.4

Graphic	8	6%	214.0

Make-Up Arts	4	11%	211.3

Information & UI	4	15%	210.8

Product & Industrial	8	22%	208.0

Fashion	8	12%	207.4

Reportage	7	8%	207.1

Styling & Jewellery	7	17%	203.9

Architecture	3	19%	201.7

Editorial	6	20%	197.3

Advertising & Commercial	6	20%	194.8

Packaging	5	19%	193.2

Branding	7	23%	188.1

Sculpture	7	30%	186.1

Installation	8	30%	177.1

The Learnings

All categories are not equal, but within the categories themselves there aren't any clearly-defined quality gaps - 64% of categories hold the full 8 winning entries, which means 19 categories have gold winners. All categories carry silver winners, so we know all categories have entries scoring more than 200.

Categories that have less approved entries are slightly more prone to lower scores in their winners - an indicator that the call for entries was better received by creatives in the photography, film and 3D sectors.

Design and Art are well represented, but the marking is lower which indicates that our judges are more critical in marking established creative disciplines. This can be viewed in four ways; that the majority of the submitted work in those categories is more prone to misrepresentation, isn't breaking new ground, that the judging panel have higher expectations here than in other categories, or (related to the second point) that there is a jury fatigue within these categories.

Categories that are gaining higher medians tend to have a higher digital, or computer-generated image content. Current aesthetic trends may be leaning more towards this, although whether it's down to style and subject, quality of execution, or whether the entries are viewed with a more optimistic eye we can't yet tell. Those questions may well be answered as our curators lift the lid on the trends and insights from the entry pool over the next few months.

Glossary of Awards

Tue, 06 Mar 2018 13:13:00 GMT

We built Fresh Future to realize and nurture a new way to reward creativity. At it's core Fresh is a yearly awards showcase that recognises outstanding creativity with a traditional peer reviewing system. The outcome is a series of gold, silver and bronze award winners.

In addition we recognise six Best in Book awards each year. These are the entries that receive the highest score within the six genres of creativity we use within our Fabrik ecosystem. Those are art, fashion, motion & 3D, design, film and photography - which are further divided into a maximum of 30 separate categories. Our judges also recognise up to five entries in each category as carbon award winners.

Fresh also encourages new partnerships with organisations, institutions, communities and companies that reward and support creativity. We partner with like-minded founders and leaders that can mutually help us support creative individuals to find a voice and a platform for their work regardless of cultural, political and geographical borders or boundaries.

It is important to mention that our partners have access to the entire approved entries pool when they review work, and aren't limited to previously-winning entries. This allows us to highlight fresh entrants, new themes, and emerging ideas on an ongoing basis as the year progresses.

This post will be updated as we create new partnerships to act as a glossary of awards that approved entries can earn.

Awards

Fresh 18 Awards

Fabrik

Each category recognises a single gold, silver and bronze award winner. At the discretion of the curator panel, up to five notable entries within each category are also rewarded with a carbon award.

Best in Book

Fabrik

Recognising the highest-scoring entry from each genre of the six Fresh creative category groups; art, film, photography, fashion, motion & 3D and design.

Curator Series

Fabrik

Our curators help the Frēsh team form insights into the ideas and concepts expressed across the entire catalogue of entries - not just the winners - in a series of free-form editorial articles. These entries have either been personally earmarked as Curator Picks, or have appeared in our Insight Review articles.

Artists Invite

Ello

In February 2018 we launched the Fresh 18 Call for Entries with a little help from Ello; the Creators Network. To engage Ello's powerful creative community we created an Artists Invite. We asked Ello's curator team to personally pick five entries to the Invite that would be recognised within Fresh 18 for their individual, original and unique creativity.

Partners

It wouldn't be possible to build Fresh without the resources and platforms we've already established, and new relationships we're nurturing as we develop the showcase.

Partners

New Partnerships

If you'd like to get involved with Fresh, let's chat.

Email us

Against Isolationism & Escapism

Mon, 08 Jan 2018 13:48:00 GMT

2017 can be viewed as a year in which worldviews turned inwards and the social mediastream started to overflow with confused, divisive opinions. Against a backdrop of destructive politics and saturated online spaces, Fabrik, the UK and Europe’s leading creative portfolio builder, has recognised the need for a new way of supporting and championing creative and artistic thought - and is launching Fresh 18, a brand-new global initiative to uncover incredible creative talent.

Backed by over 100 of the world’s most innovative creators, this free-to-enter competition will look to discover and celebrate the next wave of creative heroes.

With eyes locked on the year ahead, Fabrik has also turned to the community of creatives and artists using its platform to predict the upcoming uncertainties and opportunities of the next 12 months.

Tim Jarvis, CEO of Fabrik and award-winning creative director, said: "We’re always learning from the talented individuals who use our platform. It’s incredibly important to cultivate an outlet for creativity and Fresh 18 is aimed at empowering aspiring creatives to share their work with a supportive global community - regardless of where they live, where they work, or what they’re creating."

Film directors, cinematographers, editors, photographers and artists from within Fabrik’s community were keen to share their expectations for 2018.

Politics

Unsurprisingly, Brexit is a common concern for the creative community. Filmmaker, Maciek Kaliski, said: "being a European citizen, living in the UK, it's having a huge impact on me and my family”. However, despite “the uncertainty [and] the miscommunication", there is an opportunity to use Brexit as creative fuel, with Maciek adding that "[he’d] like to portray some of that in [his] work throughout the next twelve months."

It is yet to be seen how the ultimate impact of Brexit on sterling will affect the demand for creative work in the UK but until then, the uncertainty may well prove both a challenge and an inspiration to creatives. "I think creative people will work on the idea of UNITY and LOVE, because that is what we need." Film Director, Franz Galo.

Technology

A number of artists have commented on the rise of VR technology and this is expected to continue in 2018. As modern day life continues to move into an online space, perhaps it is only natural that artificial reality will capture creative minds.

On the contrary, as well as encouraging escapism, improvements in technology are also aiding mobility and real-world exploration. Editorial photographer Chris Brock, is "going as portable as possible this year", adding "I’m going to do as much on my phone as I can, keep my lighting kit small, and travel light for world domination".

Platforms

The way in which we share our creativity and approach target audiences is constantly developing. Filmmaker and photographer, Álvaro de la Herrán, believes that the relationship between art and consumerism is going to be a key trend in the year ahead, claiming that “simplicity and less consumption is the key for future".

The torrent of content on traditional social media is beginning to hinder young creatives where it once provided assistance. It is with this in mind that Fabrik has launched Fresh Future to help talented young creatives connect with a global audience.

Fresh 18

Fresh Future is an ambitious project but the message is simple; to level the playing field. Creativity has no boundaries, no borders and no gender. Fresh 18 is a new start.

Free to enter and open to everyone contributing to the creative industries. Entry opens to the public on Monday 8th January 2018 and closes on Friday 16th February 2018.

Fresh 18’s panel of judges are a hand-picked global assembly of more than 100 creative leaders and curators across the disciplines of film, photography, design and illustration, styling, and fine art including revered industry names such as Michael Cina, Jon Contino and Leif Podhajsky as well as rising talent with huge social media followings like Jack Ede.

Following shortlisting, a curator group will focus on, and discuss, the importance and merit of the entries, celebrating their creativity, illustrating their role in forecasting trends and highlighting their contribution to our culture.

Category finalists will be announced in spring 2018.

Speaking of the showcase, Tim Jarvis says: "We believe creative work should be awarded based on its capacity to inspire and energise the community and the cultures we’re all part of, and not based on client and agency budgets."

"Fresh 18 is a call to empower the visionaries, a believe that creativity aspires hope and an opportunity to shape the future."

This year will remain intact as a permanent record of outstanding creative work, with an invitation for Fresh 19 entries closing the year.