Premio Combat Prize

Artificial Light:
The painting tells the story of a woman in North Korea. North Korea is an artificial state, sealed from the rest of the world. Leaders Kim Il-Sung, Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jung-Un are to be worshipped as gods while being the enlighters of the state. Their artificial light has to shine as hope for the people.
The reality is a regime of intimidation in which everyone is capable of betraying one another with the result of being send to a prison camp. This repressive regime makes the light even more artificial.
For this reason, the light shines on the face of the woman and shows strict contours, because it is artificial it gives her a hard look.
Her inner self is hidden in her eyes. From the outside she looks ice-cold, but her eyes tell differently. She cannot say what she feels, but when you look deep into her eyes, you can see her life.
Simone Stawicki:
The Polish/Dutch artist Simone Stawicki works and lives in the Netherlands.
Stawicki’s work is mainly on canvas, but also include mixed media and monotypes. She prefers working with acrylic paint and oil paint and works in a direct way through which she creates a language that can evoke emotions. This way of working creates a sensitive handwriting in which creating harmony through contrast is important. Simone Stawicki’s work is colourful with prominent black and white.
Her work fascinates through the subtle use of opposites. Using black and white, erratic and firm lines, colours and tones, she searches for harmony and beauty of emotion.
Art is thinking about God, man and society. She tries to convey this in her work, for it is communication from one heart to the other; communication in the most direct way.
Art is vision.
Simone Stawicki had exhibitions among others in:
UK, Brighton - Omnia Scroll, Brighton Jubilee Library
Italy, Pisa - Gallery GAMeC CentroArteModerna Pisa
Denmark, Thy - Limfjordscentret
Canada, Ontario - Gallery Ayrspace
USA, New York - Project ‘Windnomade’ by Slem, New Island Festival on Governors Islands
Spain, Barcelona - Gallery Sala Barna
The Netherlands, Amsterdam - Boesner Salon
The Netherlands, Rotterdam - Continental Art Centre
The Netherlands, Burgh-Haamstede - Gallery Jan Eikenaar
The Netherlands, Oudkerk - Gallery Bloemrijk Vertrouwen
The Netherlands, Amsterdam - Gallery Pardoes