International Benoit Mandelbrot Fractal Art Contest 2011

[Kali]

2 - Pornographic material? maybe they decided to put this rule after seeing this: http://www.fractalforums.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=7836

 

@ Kali ; could not resist to see what you tell the children about that image .

           Are you telling them it`s the bermuda triangle ?

 

Yeah, and that explains why people never come back from there!

[cruelanimal]

Dave,

As you wish, but before you engage in future intellectual discussions, I'd advise reviewing the "The ISARC Five-Part Format for Persuasive Papers."  Under Section 4, "Refutation," the authors clearly state: "Never just call opposing arguments 'crazy.' Name-calling is not refutation."

I would imagine such good advice is even more true when the opposing arguments in question are not theoretical but instead are based on factual events and are grounded in what people (like those associated with BMFAC) have actually said or done.

Good luck,

Terry

~/~

Terry Wright
Orbit Trap
http://orbittrap.ca

[David Makin]

There were actually four BMFAC exhibitions for the 2009 competition -- two in Spain, one in Argentina, and the main showcase in India. There was,

ARGENTINA? wow, I really missed that. It was on Buenos Aires? 2009? Even when I hadn't a very strong interest in fractals before last year, I knew about Benoit Mandelbrot and Mandelbrot set and I think I had enough interest to go to the exhibition or at least remember if I saw any publicity about it... I always read the "culture & art" section of the main newspaper here, it has a lot of info for exhibitions in the capital city and I'm only a few miles from them. Weird, I just can't remember any mention of it on any other media.

I don't know for sure but I'd guess the standard publicity is the same as that for most exhibitions i.e. publicised in specific magazines and on the brochure mailing list/s of the gallery concerned, so unless you normally received such a magazine or were on the mailing list for the events brochure of the gallery then it's not surprising that you wouldn't know about any art exhibition even if you only lived a few miles away (fractal or otherwise). Unless of course you're a "culture vulture" who often checks up on such things
For instance in North Wales there is a theatre/gallery in Llandudno (five miles from here) and the main North Wales theatre/gallery (Theatre Clwyd somewhat further away) and the only reason I get info about events there is because I've participated in Helfa Gelf since 2006 - prior to that the only information I had on such things was via the local free paper which rarely if ever covered exhibitions in the galleries, though admittedly occasionally mentioned the theatrical events.

[David Makin]

Hi all, some more details about BMFAC 2011:

Honorary Presidency
----------------------------

Michael Barnsley
Aliette Mandelbrot

Panel
--------

Don Archer
Javier Barrallo
Cory Ench
Damien Jones
David Makin
Kerry Mitchell
Samuel Monnier
Paul Nylander
Joseph Presley
Jonathan Wolfe

[Fitz]

Submitted my three entries. The conspiracy theory on the last page seems pretty ridiculous so I have no problems doing so, the idea of a shady board of fractal art competition organizers is a hilarious mental image though.

Down with the Fractal Illuminati
vvvvvv

[cruelanimal]

Fitz,

Laugh it up.  "Conspiracy theories" that are based on facts and actions actually represent a deliberate attempt to control the content and aesthetics of fractal art.

So, just keep chuckling at your own exploitation as BMFAC chips away codifying its take on fractal art as the only acceptable one.  And, if you keep defending BMFAC in public as aggressively as Makin does, you'll likely end up on the judging panel in a few more years.

Best regards,

Terry

~/~

Terry Wright
Orbit Trap
http://orbittrap.ca

[Tabasco Raremaster]

Since it`s the Benoit Mandelbrot Fractal Art Contest, let`s all make some awesome entries to honnor the man that made it possible to have infinite fractal fun and joy. No drama please.

[cruelanimal]

Tabasco,

One could just as easily point out, as has been repeatedly done at Orbit Trap, that Dr. Mandelbrot's memory might be better served if the contest that bears his name was run more professionally and fairly, but I'm afraid such an observation could prove to be a little too dramatic for you.

Before you head over to lie down on the nearest fainting couch, you might perhaps read this OT post from nearly two years ago:

"Is the Name of Our Hero Benoit Mandelbrot Being Used to Market Ultra Fractal?"
http://orbittrap.ca/?p=398

So, please, no drama from your end either.  As OT has shown many times through many specific examples, BMFAC has never been about honoring Dr. Mandelbrot as much as it has been about furthering the objectives, programs, and aesthetics of its director(s) and many of its administrators.

Best regards,

Terry

~/~

Terry Wright
Orbit Trap
http://orbittrap.ca

[Sockratease]

I only have one issue with this contest preventing me from entering.

They want full personal information just to submit a picture!

I find that to be in excess of my limits on the conditions I set in order to give out such information.  I ONLY give out my Real Name and Address if I am under contract to get paid.

Just to enter some silly contest is no justification to divulge my Closely Guarded Personal Data.

The rest of the Drama is just Drama.  It really doesn't bother me if they are biased, promoting their own agenda, or whether they are Good or Evil.

I just make a habit of NEVER using my real name online unless money is changing hands.

I also suggest everybody adopt this simple rule for their own safety.

So I can't enter because I object to one of the rules I have never seen anyone but me take issue with!  

2.2. Personal Information: Entrants must provide their full name, mailing address, and email address in order to participate. (Email addresses will not be used except to send information about the contest. They will not be sold or given to any third party.)

Where are they storing such information?  Will it be made public?  I use a "Pen Name" for very good reason, and do NOT want my Real Name and Address posted ANYWHERE online.  

Ever.

It's nice of them to protect email addresses, but the rest is even more critical and should also be protected.  Moreso than a simple, temporary, email address.  We should be allowed to use a "Display Name" for our work, and keep our Real Names protected.

Is that too Dramatic?  

How about this?



Now THAT's a Dramatic Image!

[Fractal Ken]

Where are they storing such information?  Will it be made public?  I use a "Pen Name" for very good reason, and do NOT want my Real Name and Address posted ANYWHERE online.  

Entrants' names have previously been displayed on the contest entries webpage. I don't find this practice objectionable, but I can understand if other folks do.

[David Makin]

AFAIK almost any Art contest I've heard of through Artist's Newsletter Magazine requires you use you're real name and contact details - or at least a "name" that is legally bound to you such as if your Art is in your company name e.g. if I made "Makin' Magic Fractals" official.
As to publishing the name publicly, I don't think there'd be any problem if you specifically requested that a handle from DA or ff or wherever (or some other pseudonym) was used instead of your real name.
AFAIK the information is stored on a private server and access/use of said information is subject to either the data protection laws of your own country or the laws of the USA (in the State where the server is).
Probably your real name is required for legal reasons - e.g. if you submit an image that really doesn't belong to you then without your real name (or a name legally bound to you) being associated with the submission there would be no way of getting justice for the victim (i.e. the original artist).

[Sockratease]

AFAIK almost any Art contest I've heard of through Artist's Newsletter Magazine requires you use you're real name and contact details - or at least a "name" that is legally bound to you such as if your Art is in your company name e.g. if I made "Makin' Magic Fractals" official.
As to publishing the name publicly, I don't think there'd be any problem if you specifically requested that a handle from DA or ff or wherever (or some other pseudonym) was used instead of your real name.
AFAIK the information is stored on a private server and access/use of said information is subject to either the data protection laws of your own country or the laws of the USA (in the State where the server is).
Probably your real name is required for legal reasons - e.g. if you submit an image that really doesn't belong to you then without your real name (or a name legally bound to you) being associated with the submission there would be no way of getting justice for the victim (i.e. the original artist).

My concern is not submitting my name, but their comment that they require real names, addresses, and emails - but then only go on to state that they protect email addresses and no mention of protecting the rest of the information  (which is FAR more important to protect!).

Speculations about what they may or may not do with that information is meaningless.

Email exchanges inquiring about such things are also meaningless unless and until it makes it's way into the Official Rules bit of the contest.

And every art contest I have entered through 3D World type places and magazines and forums has no such requirement.  Many do not post any names with images (real or pseudo) to avoid bias for or against any particular artist(s).  And most - if not all - only ask for such information if (and only if) it is needed to send prizes.

Nope.

I still find it outrageous and it will remain enough to keep me FAR away from this event until they change their posted rules.  They can have such information - but they NEED to state Publicly and in their Official Rules that it will not be made available to anyone but the person who needs it to give me my Millions of dollars in Winnings.

In fact, most Professional Artists rarely use their real names in Public.

Same for Writers, Actors, and many other publicly seen personalities.

As for fraud, that seems nonsensical.  If "Real" Art Contests don't require such info merely to enter, then something as niche as Fractal Art is displaying the Height of Pretension to make such claims.

In this day and age of Rampant Identity Theft, it is pure folly to give out your real name and address to people who do not specifically state that it will be held in confidence.

[David Makin]

"They can have such information - but they NEED to state Publicly and in their Official Rules that it will not be made available to anyone but the person who needs it to give me my Millions of dollars in Winnings."

Actually there is no *need* to do that, it's actually written *in law* and applies whether stated in contest rules or not *unless* it's explicitly stated somewhere that the information *will* be used for other purposes - as is done by Facebook, Megaupload, or on almost anything else you register to be a member of - some of these give you a check box to opt out of information sharing and others don't (and of course nearly all have the option set for sharing by default).

Also as I said before, unless you are *legally* known by a pseudonym or have a registered business name then you'd have to give your real name in every art related contest and event I've ever come across in the UK.

> And every art contest I have entered through 3D World type places and magazines and forums has no such requirement.

Remember the prize for this contest is to be included in real world exhibitions, the cost of printing/framing the winning entries covered by the sponsors (as described in the rules).
In the event of a winning image later being found to be fraudulently submitted (for whatever reason) then whoever submitted it is liable for recuperation of costs - hence the need for "real" names.

I will add that on the subject of contests requiring real names Javier said that he's participated on many such panels as Professor of Architecture where the contests were for " real buildings, students works, urban projects, art works, jobs at the university etc" and in all cases only the legal "real name" of entrants was acceptable.

As I said before if you wish your real name not to be known publicly then simply ask first and only enter if you are able to submit using your real name but publicly i.e. in the exhibition (virtual and real, entries and winners) etc. an alternative pseudonym is allowed instead.

[lycium]

I'm discouraged from entering because of the strong (statistical) bias towards UltraFractal entries...

[lkmitch]

I'm discouraged from entering because of the strong (statistical) bias towards UltraFractal entries...

Disclosure:  I am, and have been, one of the judges and I'm a long-time user of Ultra Fractal.

In my judging experience, while some images have an appearance that is associated with Ultra Fractal, we have never exhibited (conscious) bias for or against any particular program.  If Ultra Fractal entries tend to do well, maybe that's related to UF's popularity among fractal artists.  If this were a general digital art contest, one might expect there to be a great many entries in which Photoshop had been used, but that wouldn't mean that there was a PS bias.