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All the art works presented at the exhibition were created for the HANSEartWORKS series and selected through an international competition. Each location in the New Hansa League - including King's Lynn, submitted a candidate. Mary Naylor who is based near King's Lynn, was proposed by the local coordinating committee in the UK, and Mary's painting was chosen by the exhibition organisers in Poland in response to the theme of water.
The river is present in Stargard's coat of arms, underscoring its importance to the city. The navigable river is a consistant feature in the history of many Hanseatic cities. A significant number of them were ports, and the Hansa's trade routes depended upon rivers and other waterways like tidal pools and lagoons.
The competition organisers wanted the theme of water to be not only a reference to the past, but also an inspiration for artists to speak out on more contemporary issues, like conservation and sustainability. Water has always been a life-giving force, as well as a threat. Without water, the world and humanity cannot survive.
About the author
Paul Vater
PAUL VATER
Paul conducts studio visits to maintain strong relationships with artists, designers and craftspeople who show their work with us. He manages the main C&C website and has developed the online shop where selected works are presented for sale.
Paul established his design company, Sugarfree, in 1990 and quickly gained a reputation for delivering fresh, effective marketing campaigns and brand identities for clients including Save the Children Fund, United Nations Association and UNHCR. Over the years those added to the roster include IPC Magazines, Arts Council England, The Roundhouse, Barbican Centre, Arts Marketing Association, Look Ahead Housing and Care, Paddington Waterside, BBC Worldwide, Commonwealth Foundation, Prestel, City of London Corporation, Baker Street Quarter, Victoria BID and the University of East Anglia.