The Tashkent International Competition of child drawings has finished. It was the first but we are sure that the further festivals are waiting for us with new discoveries, expects, enjoyment of successes and opportunity of contacts in spite of far distance.

Along with young amateur artists from Uzbekistan the young artists from Azerbaijan, Egypt, Bangladesh, Byelorussia, Germany, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Moldova, Pakistan, Russia, Slovakia, USA, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Czechia, Estonia, Japan and other countries.

Putting aside doubts about possible mistakes, the jury headed by famous graphic artist Marat Sadikov chose the best from more than three thousand “painting compositions” on offered theme “Me and My Mummy”. They took into consideration opinions of young visitors, which were involved in evaluation of works worthy of participation in the exhibition of laureates, competition prizewinners and applicants for awards of different rate. With full responsibility for the matter, they evaluated how skilled are there foreign friends in painting, colour chalks, felt tip-pens and, sometimes, in pencil to express their feelings and relation towards the most darling and close person on a sheet of paper.

The highest prize, Grand-prix went to 13-year old pupil from Tashkent, Madina Sadikova for the drawing where in original colour and art form are exposed the young artist in mummy’s embrace. Getting a fine statuette from the Chairman of the Academy of Arts, Tursunali Kuziev, extremely happy girl hardly controlled thrill of joy. Madina thinks that many her friends from Tashkent art studio “Rainbow” could be on her place but somebody should be luckier!

Medals and diplomas marked the works of young artists from Japan, USA, Egypt, Russia, India, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Turkey.
More than 50 participants were promoted with different awards and prizes. Their contemporaries from Uzbekistan made some of them by own hands. The teachers of young talented artists were not forgotten. They were applauded at the finalizing ceremony of the competition; they were sent grateful letters and souvenirs.

More than 60 different foreign unions and institutions engaged in development of child art creativity promoted sending of their pupils’ works to the competition. Among them there are National Center of Child Art of the Arab Republic of Egypt (Cairo), the Palace of Art of Turkey (Ankara), Publishing House “Mlada Fronta” (Prague, Czechia), Association of Artists of the Republic of Korea (Seoul), the Pakistan National Gallery (Islamabad), Iranian Institute of Education of Children and the Youth (Teheran), Ashgabat Child Art School (Turkmenistan), Child School of Arts “Inspiration” (Orenburgh, Russia), State Child Library of Ukraine (Kiev), Studio of Fine Arts at the Center of Child Hobby (Tallinn, Estonia) and others.

The story about mummy has been affecting, full of kindness and heart warmth. There were fears that young artists would choose for their pictures a simple scheme – two faces on a sheet of paper, the author and his mummy. Fortunately, it was in vain. However, about 50-60 such compositions made a basis of so-called “portrait gallery”.

Among the works were especially attractive the colourful, well-balanced compositions with interesting notes – child heart’s messages. They prove that for children it was not a competition but High Day of Soul. Art works, which like mirror reflected clean child souls, are opening methods of public diplomatic before the contemporaries from different countries, which promotes friendship and comprehension of the peoples.
The 2nd International Competition of Child Drawing is being held in 2004. Ist motto: “The Land Where I live”

Author: Elmars Sarko