Sterling Bank Plc said on Friday that it had unveiled the Recyclart Competition in a bid to influence how Nigerians dispose waste that could be recycled and change the way they relate with the environment.
The bank’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mr Henry Bassey, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos.
Bassey said that the Recyclart competition was intended to be on annual basis that would encourage participants to create a visual representation of the value of recycling waste materials.
“The use of recyclable material forces artists and the audience alike to rethink daily choices that impact the environment on an active and reflective note.
“This competition aims to bring to the eyes of the public an admission of a detrimental reality that now needs to be included in the national dialogue.
“The competition will serve as a means of empowering young artists and emerging talents across the country to use waste materials that are recycled for art in public spaces, as part of an effort to preserve culture,” Bassey said.
He added that the act of taking care of one’s environment should be everyone’s interest because of its impact on everybody’s life.
Bassey added: “Taking care of the environment is a great concern to many and one does not have to go far to see the negative effects of improper waste disposal or how such practice is affecting the lives of many in the country today.”
He said that discarded items such as broken car parts, steel, tyres, generators and old computers which are capable of being used and repurposed into artworks litter the environment in every part of the country.
The CMO, therefore, called for entries from young artists and emerging talents across the country to make the first edition of the competition a resounding success.
He said that grand prize winners of N1 million each would emerge from four zones, including Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Abuja.
Bassey added that winners in the competition, which would run for five months, would also enjoy the rare privilege of a solo installation and exhibition in one public community park or space.
“The objective is to spark discussions on the benefits of using repurposed materials to create art and spin a narrative to reclaim these same public spaces these materials had cluttered and littered for so long.
“Ultimately, the bank hopes to awaken the citizenry to the need for a change of attitude in how they relate to the environment and rethink how waste can be disposed of in a creative manner,” he said.
Bassey added that through the competition, the bank hopes to provide a visual reminder and a platform that promotes the innovative use of repurposed material for art and the investigation of waste management as a national and global issue.
The competition is centered on methodology and creative production.
Artists are, therefore, required to submit proposals for uncreated works.
After the screening of entries, 16 finalists will be invited to make a miniature version of their proposed works.