To celebrate International Epilepsy Day 2017, we ran an international art competition for all ages with the theme ‘Putting Epilepsy in the Picture’. There were two categories – under 12 years of age and over 12 years of age. Six winners from around the world will share in the US$2,000 prize fund.
Congratulations to our winners and thanks to everyone who took part in the competition this year.
The judges had a difficult job as there were so many wonderful entries. Epilepsy has truly been put in the picture through the participants’ creative talents. These artworks tell of the personal experience of epilepsy through visual language, allowing the viewer the gain a greater insight to both the artist’s world and the condition.
Over 12s Category Winners:
1st Prize – US$500:
‘A whim of courage’
Lungelo Dube, Swaziland
painting
Runner-up – US$250:
‘Hope in darkness’
Vahid DarvishZadeh, Iran
painting
Runner-up – US$250:
‘Window’
Liu Jinkun, China
drawing
Under 12s Category Winners:
1st Prize – US$500:
‘Epilepsy Self Portrait’
Molly Foote, USA
painting
Runner-up – US$250:
‘No Worries! Epilepsy Children have a Bright Future’
W.M.M. Sanjana, Sri Lanka
painting/drawing
Runner-up – US$250:
‘Simple and Happy’
Lai Yihao, China
drawing
“The painting tells a profound story of beauty, courage and the constant battle of epilepsy. On the surface, beauty is not only an aesthetic to be relished by the beholder and third parties, but also skin deep. Epilepsy is a disease anyone can have, it shouldn’t be seen as something bad but rather as a trait of the individual that’s a part of their beauty.”
“I have epilepsy. I learned that I am barely any different from anyone else. But I have a different perspective because of epilepsy. People with epilepsy are just as beautiful.”