The year 2016 has been one of global discourse and divide on the issue of diverse voices. The University of Kentucky is responding with a new investment in creating an inclusive campus.
What does design have to say about that?
Because we design for an interconnected world, we must actively seek diverse points of view … it makes us better architects, designers, historians, thinkers and global citizens. There are no bad colors or bad materials, only bad context, and we strive to give every color its best light. Celebrating a diverse and abundant palette is how we live our days.
In that spirit, we launch our inaugural Diversity Challenge, a student competition, in the Fall 2016 issue of 38°84 with the prompt: The Diversity of Line. Because this is our first challenge, line is a fundamental place to begin with all form. We see line in the natural world, which we reinterpret into our own work. We see line in the skylines and grids of urban environments. Rural fields have been modified by humans with their injection of fencing and rows of crops.
Line is a place to begin this conversation.
How can we use line to express diversity? Students can use a variety of media to interpret this mission:
- Pencil
- Paint
- Photography
- Video
- Sculpture
- Poetry/Prose
- Installations
- Music
Prize money
$2,000 issued at the discretion of the Honors & Awards Committee (first, second, third places and/or honorable mentions). We will release two diversity challenges each year, one per issue of 38°84.
Selection Criteria
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- The idea or concept (i.e., the work shows a design mind in showing evidence of, highlighting, or expressing a need for diversity)
- Craftsmanship
- Originality
- 150-word summary
Logistics
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- The Diversity Challenge is open to any student/team of students in the College of Design.
- The winner(s) will be published in the following issue of 38°84 and the winning entries will be archived by the College.
- A Diversity Challenge will be presented in each issue of 38°84.
- Entries may take any form. A completed cover sheet, including a 150-word abstract, should be submitted along with the original work.
- The deadline for submission is February 20, 2017. Please email entries to julie.wilson@uky.edu