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As part of the activities organised to celebrate World Olive Day 2023, the IOC and the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM) launched an international graphic artwork competition. This contest ran from late September to November 2023, and was open to anyone from any part of the world who wanted to contribute an artwork that would highlight the vital role of women’s networks in the olive sector.
The organisers received a total of thirty fantastic artworks from all over the world, each with its own style, which made the jury’s decision very tough.
Finally, the first prize was awarded to the artist Lamarre Johnson fr om Haiti for their artwork “La femme aux cheveux de l’Olivier” (“The woman with olive hair”). In the description, the artist explained that he had translated the slogan of this year’s World Olive Day celebration, “women’s vital role in the olive world”, into an artistic interpretation of women’s faces with olive branches instead of hair. In fact, at first sight, the artwork seems that it represents only one woman. However, if you cover either half of the drawing, we can observe two different faces in the same image, representing the globality of women’s contribution to the olive sector.
In a very close second place came María Etcheverry from Uruguay’s triptych composition “Los Olivares” (“The Olive Trees”). Through her trilogy of three petite paintings and based on her description, the artist guides us through a narrative of growth, a captivating ode to dynamism, with each stroke echoing the spirit of women’s essential role in the millennial olive growing sector.
The IOC and CIHEAM extend their most heartfelt congratulations to the winning artists, and wish to seize this opportunity to congratulate all the other illustrators who participated in the competition!
