Monday, April 29, 2013

Giant Philly KAWS Sculptures Prompts Photo Contest

The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) will launch a week-long Instagram Photo Contest on May 1, 2013, in celebration of the highly popular KAWS’ COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) installation currently on view at 30th Street Station.

The contest invites the public to capture unique and creative photos of KAWS’COMPANION at 30th Street Station to win an autographed copy of the book, “KAWS” (2010), the first publication dedicated to the full range of KAWS’ work, written byMonica Ramirez-Montagut.

“Since its debut at 30th Street Station on April 11, KAWS’ COMPANION has received an overwhelmingly positive response from social media users. At the same time, the installation provides a unique opportunity for PAFA to engage with the public at an off-site location, while drumming up excitement for the KAWS exhibition coming to PAFA this fall. We are thrilled to now offer fans a chance to share their favorite COMPANION photos on Instagram in an effort to win a fantastic prize,” says Harry Philbrick, PAFA’s Edna S. Tuttleman Director of the Museum.

To enter, Instagram users must visit KAWS’ COMPANION at 30th Street Station, take a photo of the installation with their mobile phone or camera, and submit the photo via Instagram by including the hashtag #PAFAKAWS. Entries are welcome between May 1, 2013 and May 8, 2013. There are no limits to the number of entries per Instagram user. PAFA’s Museum Director will review all contest entries and select one winner who will be announced via PAFA’s social media outlets (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) on May 9, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. EST. The winning entry will also be featured on pafa.org/kawsthrough October 2013.

Five entries will also be chosen and featured on HuffingtonPost.com to build excitement and participation.

Prior to the debut of KAWS’ COMPANION at 30th Street Station, PAFA introduced the hashtag #PAFAKAWS for the public to utilize when sharing photos of the installation on social media outlets. The hashtag is prominently featured on rack cards and signage available at 30th Street Station. In addition to the social media campaign, a group of PAFA students also serve as on-site Brand Ambassadors at 30th Street Station. Besides sharing information about the installation and PAFA, Brand Ambassadors engage with passerby in dialogues about the role of art in public spaces.

For complete contest details, please visit pafa.org/kawscontest.

ABOUT KAWS’ COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) at 30th ST. STATION

On view April 11 through May 14, 2013, KAWS’ COMPANION (PASSING THROUGH) is a preview for PAFA’s new Sculpture Plinth Exhibition Program, which will open at PAFA in October 2013 with a sculpture commissioned from KAWS. The Sculpture Plinth Exhibition Program will present a rotating series of site-specific, attention-catching sculptures in an unexpected location—the façade above the front door of PAFA’s Historic Landmark Building on North Broad Street in Philadelphia.

First seen in Hong Kong, COMPANION has also traveled to New York; The Aldrich Museum in Ridgefield, CT; The High Museum, Atlanta; and The Modern, Fort Worth. In 2012, a version of COMPANION appeared as a 40-foot float in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.

No comments: