In the dictionary, Transfiguration is a synonym for metamorphosis, a change in form, appearance or substance, a transition to something better, a glorious apotheosis. Transfiguration may also reflect spiritual uplifting or commitment to a higher mission.
Many artists worldwide experienced an unexpected, yet symbolic uprooting from the familiar during the Covid-19 pandemic, the wars in Ukraine and Middle East, and the current state of economic recession, political discontent, environmental emergency.
However, every cloud has a silver lining! Becoming more conscious about the world's interconnectivity, more tough in dealing with unknown situations, more determined to find meaning in life, more willing to excel, is the beneficial outcome of the hardships many artists endured during the last five years.
In a world ravaged by misery, injustice and wars, Transfiguration might also be a call for intellectual and spiritual change of life concepts, and a statement of resistance to vulgarity, ignorance, hate.
SMCK ON REEL invites artists, designers, crafters, filmmakers to deploy their personal experiences, vision, and lessons learnt, and present the work – jewelry, textile, applied art, performance, crafts, objects, poems etc – that was born out of this inner transformation, in the form of a maximum 3 minutes video.
SMCK ON REEL is looking for artists' videos, autobiographical accounts or fiction narratives on how they overcame obstacles and setbacks, dealt with uncomfortable challenges, and bounced back stronger, wiser, victorious!
SMCK ON REEL 2025 is looking for artists' videos that:
All selected videos will be screened on Friday 14 March at Galerie Handwerk during Munich's SCHMUCK Jewelry Week 2025. All selected videos will be published online and promoted through SMCK Magazine's website and social media. All selected videos will be nominated for the SMCK ON REEL AWARD competition (see below).
The submission of videos is free of charge. If selected for participation in SMCK ON REEL 2025, the artist pays a 100,00 euro participation fee.
SMCK ON REEL 2025 offers two awards for the best videos submitted
A jury will decide on the best video submitted.
The audience of SMCK On Reel screening on Friday 14 March at Galerie Handwerk vote for the video that will be awarded.
All SMCK ON REEL participants are automatically nominated for the jury and the audience award. The name of the winner will be announced in public on Friday 14 March following the SMCK ON REEL screening at Galerie Handwerk during Munich Jewelry Week 2025.
The award winners will enjoy a four-day intensive "Transfiguration" residency in Athens / Greece. The residency includes a customized program of curated museum and site visits focusing on arts, crafts and jewelry, three nights accommodation in down town Athens, a publication of the winners' experiences in Athens in SMCK Magazine, and an additional interview plus presentation of their work in SMCK Magazine and the social media.
The Athens residency will take place between June – December 2025.
Send us your video link or your original video file - the duration should be max. 3 minutes - by Sunday, 2 March 2025 the latest.
Add a short artist statement of 120 words maximum, as well as your homepage or instagram link.
NOTE: Attachments smaller than 20MB can be sent directly via e-mail. For files larger than 20MB, please use WeTransfer. Please compile the requested material in one file.
Send your application to: magazine@smck.org.
SMCK On Reel, the first international video festival inspired by jewelry and wearable art, presents video works in the context of rapidly changing social and aesthetic values.
Video works by more than a hundred twenty artists have already been screened in crafts and jewelry international events such as Grassimesse in Leipzig, Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, Galerie Handwerk, Galerie Weltraum in Munich, Legnica SILVER Festival in Poland, Berlin Fashion Week, Metalofonas Biennial in Vilnius, Faktor Art Space in Hamburg, Romanian Jewelry Week in Bucharest/ Timisoara/ Chisinau, and the Museum of History of Ukraine in Kiev.
Hamburgische Stiftung, one of Germany's major cultural foundation, as well as The City of Munich have sponsored some of the SMCK ON REEL video screenings.
The medium video introduces the public to the artist's world, concepts and thoughts.
Reels deploy the artist's narrative and allow the viewer to indulge in the maker's work. Jewelry not only serves as a starting point for personal stories or statements, but also as a cultural catalyst that can offer emotional insight and change social perception.
SMCK ON REEL is a project by SMCK Magazine. The video festival was founded by Loukia Richards and Christoph Ziegler in 2022.