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How Greg Williams Became The A-List’s Favourite Photographer

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

As for the irreverence evident in his work, he adds, it comes from not “putting people on pedestals and shooting them as celebrity gods. I don’t take it all too seriously”. That is perhaps due to the rather unusual way in which Williams entered the world of entertainment photography. Aged six, he remembers a distant relative coming to visit him and his family at home and bringing a load of cameras. “I was immediately interested in the kit,” he recalls. “And then this guy left and later sent me one of his old, nearly broken cameras because he thought I might be interested in photography. I loved it. I was also very dyslexic and, from the age of 11, it was clear that I had a strong interest in photography and was pretty ghastly at most other things. I was either going to join the army or become a photographer, and photography worked out.”

At 19, he and a friend took summer jobs and saved enough to buy tickets to Thailand. He flew out, got smuggled into Myanmar and spent a few weeks living with a guerrilla army that was fighting the government. “We didn’t wait for the phone to ring. I literally just went off and started bullshitting my way into where I needed to get and taking photos,” he laughs. More photojournalism followed in conflict zones in Chechnya and Sierra Leone, though his experiences in the latter led him, at 23, to give up on war photography. “I just thought I was going to die on many occasions,” he says frankly of the experience. “It was absolute hell and I was petrified.” After returning home, he began working on a series of “quite full-on” medical stories for The Sunday Times Magazine, and then was given free rein to choose a new subject. He picked a project celebrating the British film industry and, before he knew it, actors were badgering him to shoot their portraits.

His time on the ground in volatile environments taught him to work quickly and trust his instincts in order to create dynamic, emotive images – lessons he still carries with him today. And as for his advice to young aspiring photographers? “You’ve got to have a point of view now and decide what it is that you do,” he asserts. “There’s no point saying, ‘Here’s my fine art, here’s my landscape, here’s my commercial, here’s my fashion.’ It’s not enough to be ‘a photographer’. You have to do what only you can do.”

Ahead of his book’s publication on 22 June, Williams shares the extraordinary tales behind some of his favourite shots in it, below.

Youth post-floods photography

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

The Uniting Church ran a photography competition for young people living in the Northern Rivers. The theme of the competition was ‘Youth Post-Floods’ with the aim of the competition being to help young people in our community reconnect – to themselves and to the people around them.

Highly acclaimed and local photographers, Cait Miers and Duncan Macfarlane, judged the entries, and the winners will be announced at an exhibition on Monday 26 June, from 4.30pm to 6.30pm at Ignite Studios in Ballina where photographs taken by the finalists and winners will be on display.

Everyone is welcome to attend the exhibition, enjoy some delicious mocktails and nibbles, and view some up-and-coming young local talent.

Tish review: A rousing and intimate portrait of British photographer Tish Murtha

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

BySantanu Das

Jun 20, 2023 10:59 AM IST

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Tish review: Chronicling the life of British working class photographer Tish Murtha, Paul Sng’s docu-biopic is a moving tribute to the legacy of an artist.

There’s a feather-weight touch of ferocity in Paul Sng’s docu-biopic Tish, that evolves as an intimate and expansive portrait of British Documentary photographer Tish Murtha, who died just a day before her 57th birthday from a brain aneurysm. Hers was a life dedicated to people from working class communities: their hope and strength, their shared distance, and the unspeakable despair in their everyday struggle. If you haven’t heard of her, you are not alone. Go and search for her photographs documented on Instagram at @tishmurtha, and you will uncover a special, tragically beautiful series of pictures. Serving as the opening film of the 30th Sheffield Doc Fest, Tish grows and grows in its reflective abundance, just like her vivid pictures. (Also read: Scoop review: Hansal Mehta sets the bar high in one of the best shows of the year)

Tish screened as the opening night film at the 30th Sheffield Doc Fest.

Tish begins with a straightforward direction- and it works primarily because the subject itself is so rich and dense, with a strong contextual hold; that any narrative and expositional trickery would have put the semblance of her journey off balance. Her daughter Ella is the one asking the questions and trying to locate her mother’s journey as an artist- someone she knew from within and yet she was not always that. The camera spans her talking with her mother’s family, which consists of her sister Eileen, and brother Carl, and some of her friends and advisors along the way. Through their insight, it is as though Ella is seeking out a parent who was a photographer first- someone whose passion and dedication to her art remained constant throughout her whole life.

The journey takes off through these anecdotes and pictures, as they appear in the years that followed. Her black-and-white, 35mm-gauge portraits of Newcastle’s working-class residents, appear to have their own journey through the course of the film, which also earns her the nickname ‘Demon Snapper’ in the papers. These pictures are interspersed with her anecdotes, memorabilia, and words that provide subtext to the turbulent time of the 1970s and 80s. Her pictures are at once reflective and resonant- focused mostly on the faces of young children who were at the forefront of mass unemployment. Yet their faces reveal a striking optimism and resilience. The beauty in her pictures has got no will to indulge in poverty, but in their scattershot moments of joy, dissent and earnestness. Take note of a picture where it’s just a boy posing directly with his pack of cards, persistent in showing his expression. Such a photograph cannot be taken without building a connection with the subject, we are told. Tish’s primary intention was to connect and to invest in the harshness of her subjects- the camera was a secondary, almost secondary player that arrived a few moments later. It was always the resilience that stood out.

Tish, with its decades-long story, flows gently like a river of genuine emotions, thanks greatly to the editing work of Lindsay Watson and Angela Slaven. The focus remains squarely on Tish’s unwavering commitment to her craft, and one witnesses the growth of perspective and definition in her subjects. From the striking portraits of youth in the Thatcher-era recession, later she would focus her gaze on prostitutes and brothels; in all its provocative, defiant glory. Brief interludes of anecdotes and memories from her life through interviews are filled with her pictures appearing one after the other, as the viewer reaches closer and closer towards the sensibility of an artist at work.

A beautiful moment arrives in this journey when Ella herself is photographed as a child, and the seemingly innocent recital of the nursery rhyme ‘Twinkle Twinkle’ in an audio footage becomes a breathtakingly poignant moment of introspection for a daughter assembling the life and legacy of her mother as an artist. The effect is galvanizing. This is a quietly wondrous film and a profound tribute on the lifelong work of a committed artist.

(Santanu Das is covering Sheffield Doc Fest for Hindustan Times as part of the accredited press.)

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Mastering the art of shockvertising in a crowded ad space

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Last week, Singapore Realtor Inc’s real estate agent, Shahirah Shaik came under public scrutiny for using fliers that emulated parking summons tickets.

In an anonymous post on Facebook page ‘Complaint Singapore Unrestricted’, a user angrily bemoaned the misleading quality of the advertisement. “Got this on my windscreen. I must say this is very lame and not funny at all,” the post said as seen by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE. “No driver like to see this kind of joke on their windscreen. And you jolly well don’t litter with your cheap marketing gimmick on our cars,” the post continued.

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The flier bore Shaik’s details under the header ‘Notice of no offense’ before continuing that the driver’s ‘transgression’ was them “parking beautifully”. It also encouraged users to post and caption the ad saying, “we’ve got your summon” and to tag their Instagram page if users liked the advertisement.

While the anonymous user was upset about the shocking marketing tactic, a majority of netizens expressed their enjoyment over the flier with 29 out of the 48 likes on the post being a laughing face.

Shock marketing, or shockvertising, which is the act of deliberately shocking or startling viewers with a marketing campaign, is not uncommon in this day and age especially considering that there is so much content competing for one’s attention. More marketers are attempting to stand out and to do so, employ creative and innovative methods.

“Researchers claim the average person sees hundreds to thousands of ads in a day from what is now an endless supply chain — it’s easy for brands to get lost in that mix,” said Don Anderson, the CEO of Kaddadle “So, it’s no surprise that some marketers may get frustrated and show signs of desperation in their communications, in order for their work to get recognised and for consumers to respond. But there is always a fine line,” he cautioned.

Crafting a good shockvertising campaign

He noted that a good shockvertising campaign will elicit a dialogue on topics that societies may not always want to confront or discuss publicly.

“The shockvertising label is usually applied to advertising that is considerably more of an affront and taps themes that are taboo or provocative in nature, such as topics of culture, race, sexuality, health and social injustice,” he said, citing an example of some of the United Colors of Benetton ads from the 80s and 90s which showed a variety of shocking images such as a priest and a nun kissing, a baby still attached to an umbilical cord and actual images of a murder.

“Although those campaigns yielded an avalanche of hostility and negativity, it knew what it was doing,” said Anderson.

Agreeing with him, Lars Voedisch, the principal consultant, managing director of PRecious Communications noted that before one can convey any message, they need to grab the attention of their target audience.

“Let’s be honest – there are way too many similar-looking letters and flyers of real estate agents with limited to no real differentiators,” he said. “Generally, the more crowded or dry a topic, the more creative you need to get to stand out.”

He added:

Unfortunately, then, the creative approach sometimes overshadows the actual story you want to tell.

Measuring ROI for shockvertising campaigns

Saying that, capturing the attention of a target audience is not all you need. After all, when you have shockvertising campaigns, you are likely to get a wide variety of responses such as the real estate agent who equally angered some and also got many to laugh at the creativity and the joke of it all. As a result, measuring ROI then tends to become an issue.

“Brands gauge brand awareness, reach, social media metrics, sales, and other direct in indirect impact metrics like changes in brand perception and consumer behavior,” explained Voedisch. “When you go out with a riskier approach, it is harder to predict the direct outcome. For example, even if you get a lot of attention, this might not convert into sales. On the other hand, you might offend a large majority of the general public. But if your objective was only to get a rather niche target group to connect even stronger with your brand, you might achieve your ROI by willingly upsetting larger audiences.”

He concluded by noting that the nuances between being witty or becoming a nuisance can sometimes be very narrow saying:

What works for some might upset others. That’s the reality for anything that goes beyond being straightforward – today, more than in the past.

Photographer captures moment of inspiration on Mount Washington

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

A photo that captured the moment a 21-year-old runner helped his 82-year-old mentor finish the Mount Washington Road Race is bringing some people to tears.Runners faced rain, cold and overall dreadful conditions during Saturday’s race.Around mile 7, hall-of-fame runner Ron Paquette, 82, of Maine was frozen, cramping and showing other signs of hypothermia setting in.Paquette is a mentor of fellow runner John McGinty, 21, had other plans.“It was maybe an hour after he had finished,” McGinty’s mother Laura Chadwick told WMUR. “So, he knew at that point Ron might be in trouble, so he headed back down the mountain.”McGinty found Paquette right before Paquette was ready to give up and started helping him up the mountain.Photographer Joe Viger was there and captured the moment of hope.“Out of the fog came John and Ron literally kind of with their arms wrapped around each other,” Viger said. Viger posted the photo on social media not knowing who the runners were, until McGinty’s mother came across the photo.“I know what my son looks like. I know his stance,” Chadwick said. “And you know, I could tell from the silhouette that it was wrong. And I zoomed in on it. And sure enough, as soon as I zoomed in and saw I just the tears just came.”That inspiration captured the attention of people online.“People are highs and lows and struggles and peaks and valleys and all those things and you see it and you get to witness it and hopefully capture it, and it’s always a gift when you do,” Viger said.McGinty and Paquette ended up running the last stretch of the race and crossed the finish line together.

SARGENT’S PURCHASE, N.H. —

A photo that captured the moment a 21-year-old runner helped his 82-year-old mentor finish the Mount Washington Road Race is bringing some people to tears.

Runners faced rain, cold and overall dreadful conditions during Saturday’s race.

Around mile 7, hall-of-fame runner Ron Paquette, 82, of Maine was frozen, cramping and showing other signs of hypothermia setting in.

Paquette is a mentor of fellow runner John McGinty, 21, had other plans.

“It was maybe an hour after he had finished,” McGinty’s mother Laura Chadwick told WMUR. “So, he knew at that point Ron might be in trouble, so he headed back down the mountain.”

McGinty found Paquette right before Paquette was ready to give up and started helping him up the mountain.

Photographer Joe Viger was there and captured the moment of hope.

“Out of the fog came John and Ron literally kind of with their arms wrapped around each other,” Viger said.

Viger posted the photo on social media not knowing who the runners were, until McGinty’s mother came across the photo.

“I know what my son looks like. I know his stance,” Chadwick said. “And you know, I could tell from the silhouette that it was wrong. And I zoomed in on it. And sure enough, as soon as I zoomed in and saw I just the tears just came.”

That inspiration captured the attention of people online.

“People are highs and lows and struggles and peaks and valleys and all those things and you see it and you get to witness it and hopefully capture it, and it’s always a gift when you do,” Viger said.

McGinty and Paquette ended up running the last stretch of the race and crossed the finish line together.

The Art of Hyper-Personalization: Crafting Tailored Marketing Messages

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

In today’s fast-paced digital world, consumers are bombarded with countless marketing messages every day. To cut through the noise and make a lasting impression, businesses must embrace the art of hyper-personalization, crafting tailored marketing messages that resonate with their target audience on a deeper level. This approach goes beyond merely addressing customers by their first name; it involves leveraging data and insights to create highly relevant and engaging content that speaks directly to the individual’s needs, preferences, and interests.

The concept of hyper-personalization is not new, but recent advancements in technology have made it more accessible and effective than ever before. With the help of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and big data analytics, marketers can now analyze vast amounts of information to uncover patterns and trends that can inform their messaging strategies. By understanding the unique characteristics and behaviors of their audience, businesses can develop targeted campaigns that drive higher engagement, conversion rates, and customer loyalty.

One of the key components of hyper-personalization is data. The more information a business has about its customers, the better equipped it is to create meaningful and relevant content. This data can come from various sources, including customer relationship management (CRM) systems, social media platforms, website analytics, and third-party data providers. By consolidating and analyzing this information, marketers can gain a comprehensive understanding of their audience’s demographics, online behaviors, and preferences.

Once a business has a solid foundation of customer data, it can begin to segment its audience into distinct groups based on shared characteristics. This process, known as audience segmentation, allows marketers to tailor their messaging to the specific needs and interests of each group. For example, a clothing retailer might segment its customers based on factors such as age, gender, location, and shopping habits. By doing so, the retailer can create targeted promotions and offers that are more likely to resonate with each segment, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

In addition to audience segmentation, businesses can also leverage AI and machine learning algorithms to predict customer behavior and preferences. These technologies can analyze historical data to identify patterns and trends that can inform future marketing strategies. For example, a streaming service might use machine learning to recommend personalized content based on a user’s viewing history and preferences. By providing tailored recommendations, the service can increase user engagement and satisfaction, ultimately driving customer retention and growth.

Another critical aspect of hyper-personalization is delivering the right message at the right time. To achieve this, businesses must have a deep understanding of their customers’ journey and the various touchpoints along the way. By mapping out the customer journey, marketers can identify key moments when personalized messaging can have the greatest impact. For example, a travel company might send a tailored email offering discounted flights to a customer who has recently searched for flights to a specific destination. By delivering relevant content at the right moment, the company can increase the likelihood of conversion and build a stronger relationship with the customer.

In conclusion, the art of hyper-personalization is an essential component of modern marketing strategies. By leveraging data, AI, and machine learning, businesses can craft tailored marketing messages that resonate with their target audience on a deeper level. By doing so, they can drive higher engagement, conversion rates, and customer loyalty, ultimately leading to long-term success in today’s competitive digital landscape. As technology continues to evolve, the possibilities for hyper-personalization will only grow, offering businesses new and innovative ways to connect with their customers and stand out from the crowd.

Bigaignon : The Dialectic of Shadow – The Eye of Photography Magazine

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

Placed under the curatorship of Thierry Bigaignon, and bringing together this year the works of twelve artists some represented and some invited, this collective exhibition entitled « La Dialectique de l’Ombre » addresses the question of shadow in its relationship to light. , of photography in its relation to reality and more broadly of art in its relation to the world.

From the origins of the image to the advent of photography, the question of the representation of reality has arisen. Does reality exist, or is it only the fruit of our experience? If light is a symbol of truth, is the cast shadow its counterpart? The philosopher Eric Lecerf wrote that the presence of the shadow is never fortuitous, whether it was the origin of the pictorial representation for some or the visual translation of the representation for others. But the shadow is, in its dialectical version, the source of a problem. It is not simply what accompanies light, but what conditions it, limits it and, in the end, torments it. If all light is carried with the intention to dissipate shadows, it never ceases to produce new ones! Shadow, rival and accomplice of light, by turns romantic, Caravaggesque, impressionist or photographic, has never ceased to highlight forms, thus creating an atmosphere that is sometimes intimate, sometimes dramatic, in its perpetual quest to reveal a presence, to make visible the very existence of light.

Whether in the apparent monochromes of Anne-Camille Allueva, this young French artist who recently joined the gallery, in the translucent plexiglass of the Swiss Anne Blanchet, we also feel in these two artists a desire to make light visible. On the other hand, it is on a principle of invisibility that the wall sculptures of the visual artist Sophie Coroller are based. Made of carbon and glass, they migrate on the wall, landing like the butterfly of a contemporary Nabokov. A choreography of resistance without tension, the line tends towards an absolute non-constraint, thus plunging us into an optical illusion. A shadow is perceptible there without us understanding its origin. We no longer know where the light comes from, nor what could have caused the emergence of a very real shadow!

The optical illusion continues in the work presented by Renato D’Agostin which will surprise many connoisseurs of his work. We obviously find his signature, the splendor of his silver prints, but this time, the Italian artist gives us a photographic sculpture where steel, reflections and shadows mingle, whose field extends to infinity. thanks to a clever confrontation of mirrors. With the work of Mireille Fulpius, invited for the occasion and better known for her practice of wood for nearly 40 years, it is also a question of sculpture and steel. Inspired by the Fibonacci sequence, the two pieces presented here, oscillating between presence and absence, emptiness and fullness, light and shadow, question us about reality and its perception.

Recognized for their sublime silver prints, the American master Ralph Gibson, the gray prodigy Yannig Hedel and the late Denis Malartre (whose work is exhibited for the first time at the gallery) do not limit themselves to writing with light, but seek, explore and examine it with counterpoint shadow. And one could say that counterpoint is the prerogative of Antony Plasse, this young French artist, resident at POUSH and invited for the occasion. Not content to literally paint with light through the use of silver gelatin on his canvases, he erases its traces, and by practicing the fold and the incision on his unearthed canvases, the artist seems to get rid of the light to succeed in painting with the shadow itself.

The installation of Thomas Paquet, between allegory of Plato and myth of Narcissus, and that of Oliver Ratsi, worthy successor of the Light & Space movement, brilliantly punctuate the space and enter into dialogue in a harmonious way. Between tangible and fictitious anamorphoses, between real reflections and imaginary shadows, our gaze is disoriented… and ends up landing on a key piece: a historical composition by Elyn Zimmerman dating from 1975. Discovered a few years ago by Thierry Bigaignon at the Contemporary Art Center in Copenhagen during a major exhibition entitled “Light & Space”, dedicated to this emblematic Californian movement of the 1960s, of which Elyn Zimmerman was one of the pioneers alongside Turrell, Larry Bell and Robert Erwin, this masterful composition made of silver prints and pencil drawings, advances the hypothesis that light and shadow can merge, and in doing so, gives pride of place to the passage of time!

Silver prints, photograms, sculptures, anamorphoses, installations and works on canvas, The Dialectic of Shadow is a protean exhibition that addresses the ambiguous relationship between shadow and light, because shadow only exists because there is light. , while being defined precisely by its total absence!

Bigaignon is a photosensitive contemporary art gallery. The gallery’s line finds its roots in avant-garde movements such as Light & Space, minimalism, abstract art, concrete photography or even constructivism, and is based on the strong conviction that photography, nourished in particular by these currents, has fully entered a new era.

Deeply committed to promoting artists who work with the fundamental elements of photography that are light and time, whatever the final medium, the gallery contributes to the development of a new avant-garde. It thus emphasizes an international program proposed by the artists it represents and supports, whether they are emerging, developing or internationally recognized, and who seize the photographic medium to explore its extent with a singular writing.

Located in the Marais in Paris ( 18 rue du Bourg-Tibourg, Paris 4), the gallery has an exhibition space under a glass roof, a one-of-a-kind Curated Book (Store) and a reserve that can be visited thus offering a fascinating experience to its visitors, lovers of beautiful books and collectors.

The gallery is a member of the Professional Committee of Art Galleries (CPGA).

La Dialectique de l’Ombre
June 1 – July 13, 2023
Bigaignon
18 Rue du Bourg Tibourg
75004 Paris, France
https://bigaignon.com/

Pump up the Volume: Solange to headline new Sydney music festival

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

Beyonce sister act, Solange Knowles, will headline a new 17-day music, film, and performance festival dubbed as Sydney’s answer to Tasmania’s cutting-edge midwinter festival, Dark Mofo.

Volume, the city’s newest cultural event, will be presented by the Art Gallery of NSW, which is venturing into new territory beyond its traditional focus on the visual arts.

Solange Knowles in Sydney in June 2018.Credit:

The gallery’s Sydney Modern wing will be transformed into two stages after dark: the former Second World War oil tank, now a spectacular subterranean art space where Solange will perform, and the 13-metre-high Atrium and sculpture gallery spaces.

The festival will be the first time members of the public will be able to experience live music performed in the Tank, located at the deepest layer of the gallery’s new building that opened only six months ago and has since drawn more than one million visitors.

The newest event in the city’s annual cultural calendar is mainly funded from a pot of taxpayer’s money set aside for blockbuster exhibitions and events and Destination NSW, the tourism marketing agency, is its sponsor.

Sydney Modern’s Tank Gallery.Credit: Wolter Peeters

The 17-day event will feature international and local acts such as Solange, who last played in Sydney in 2018, and award-winning Zambian musician, vocalist, and rapper, Sampa The Great, Mount Eerie (USA), and Sonya Holowell (Australia).

Art Gallery of New South Wales director Michael Brand said the festival was a manifestation of the gallery’s vision to extend its focus beyond the visual arts.

The opening of Sydney Modern had created an “exceptional opportunity” for the gallery to extend its programming as part of “new curatorial narrative to include more cutting-edge live music, film and performance”.

MONA – Hobart’s Museum of Old and New Art – runs Dark Mofo, created as a celebration of the dark through various art exhibits and musical performances and held on the winter equinox, the longest night of the year. It features musical acts, large-scale light installations, and a winter feast.

Dark Mofo has been credited with putting the island state on the cultural map and drawing thousands of international tourists during a quiet tourist time.

Volume will coincide with a month-long series of free community events, world premieres, contemporary performances, and public art announced for the Sydney Opera House’s 50th Birthday Festival in October.

A new public artwork by Quandamooka artist Megan Cope has been commissioned to mark the moment, her sculpture using tens of thousands of kinyingarra (oyster in Jandai language).

One of the world’s finest chamber orchestras, Academy of St Martin in the Fields will play; an immersive portrait of Sydney and its people via a giant catwalk erected on the Forecourt; and a spectacular dance-theatre work, Message in a Bottle, featuring songs by Sting.

The children of Opera House architect Jørn Utzon will travel from Denmark for an in-conversation reflecting on the legacy of their father.

Volume will open September 22, the week before the birthday celebrations, with up to 50 music, film, and performance events scheduled, free and ticketed, and run to October 8.

Sydney Morning Herald subscribers can enjoy 2-for-1 tickets* to the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales during June 2023. Click here for more details.

4-H program allows youth to learn about subjects from photography to fashion

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Photography

From fabric to fashion and farm to fork, from learning to leading and from one student to the entire world—these are the core focuses for 4-H, a nationwide organization that teaches children and teens to see the world beyond themselves.

Out of nearly six million 4-H members in the nation, 116 are from Liberty Hill. The local chapter is part of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, a division of the Texas A&M University System, in partnership with Williamson County. 4-H membership is for anyone in grades 3 through 12, and each community club is run by volunteer club managers and project leaders.

There’s basically no limit to the projects children and teens can get involved in with 4-H. Chapter members can learn about everything from dairy cattle and goats to entomology and horticulture, as well as global citizenship, public speaking, computer science and shooting sports, such as archery.

“There’s tons of opportunities,” 4-H Sponsor Julie Norris said. “You can choose to do an animal project, but if you’re interested in something like photography or fashion and interior design, that’s there too. I think a lot of people don’t realize that.”

4-H stands for heart, hands, health and head. These pillars, which make up the organization’s mission, are what the kids use and learn while working on various projects.

The first “H,” heart, covers many community service projects 4-H members participate in. For example, Liberty Hill 4-H members recently hosted a bake sale at McCoy’s, and the proceeds went toward buying coats for Operation Liberty Hill. Members raised $600 and bought approximately 75 coats to donate.

“I think it’s important to give back to the community that you grew up in because they gave you so much,” 4-H President Kristen O’Neill said. “Now you’re giving back to them.”

The next “H,” hands, is relevant to several 4-H activities which all require students to do hands-on work. The Liberty Hill chapter offers photography, interior design, dog care and much more. 4-H Manager Terresa O’Neill runs the fashion and interior design project, and said her students do everything from sewing to working with different types of fabrics.

“We focus on both fashion and interior design with learning about fabrics,” Terresa O’Neill said. “That works for both clothes as well as draperies and upholstery. It works for both industries. We do fun things. We do what’s called a burn test where we can determine whether the fabric is a cotton or a natural fiber.”

Terresa O’Neill also leads the food and nutrition project for the Liberty Hill 4-H, which falls into the third “H”, or health category of 4-H. She said her goal is to cook at every meeting.

“We cook and hopefully it’s edible once we get it done,” she said. “Then we talk about the nutritional value, and If it’s not something that’s particularly healthy, how we could have made it a little bit healthier.”

The last “H,” head, can fall into each category because every project and activity requires students to think outside of the box and use their minds to overcome difficulty. 4-H also offers science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) projects. Norris said she runs the photography project, which falls under the STEM category.

“Teaching kids to look at things a little bit differently kind of opens their eyes to things,” Norris said. “Something that maybe they wouldn’t have thought they could take a picture of. That’s just a project I’ve loved for many years.”

4-H also offers a unique opportunity for its members to hold leadership positions within the organization. 4-H member Sophia O’Neill is the current reporter for the Liberty Hill chapter, and also serves as a tier-two Texas 4-H water ambassador. The role of a water ambassador includes having a genuine interest in water and natural resources and the willingness to take the responsibility of educating youth and adults in their communities and beyond for 12 months.

“I mainly wanted to be an ambassador because, when I’m older, I want to be a marine biologist,” Sophia O’Neill said. “This past summer, we went on the tier-two trip, which was to Galveston and College Station where we got to go on a dolphin tour. I learned a lot through that, and it will also help me with my future.”

Liberty Hill 4-H will hold its first meeting for the upcoming school year in September, as well as an open house and informational night in August. Norris said Liberty Hill 4-H is always looking to grow their membership and expand the opportunities offered to members.

We’re growing,” Norris said. “I think it’s important for people to understand that if there’s someone in our community that’s interested in 4-H that wants to do a new project, that opportunity is there for them.”

For more information on the Liberty HIll chapter, email libertyhill4hclub@gmail.com or visit Liberty Hill 4H Club on Facebook.

ARTs in detail

Jun 20, 2023 By Admin in Art World News

EU regulation MICAR now regulates asset-referenced tokens

1. DEFINITION OF ARTS

MiCAR defines Asset-referenced tokens (ARTs) as a type of crypto-asset that is not an electronic money token and that purports to maintain a stable value by referencing another value or right or a combination thereof, including one or more official currencies.

Knowing which crypto-assets fall under the MiCAR definition of ARTs is the first step in determining which regime will apply to the crypto-asset white papers, issuers’ licensing, reserve assets and own capital requirements.

The classification between the different categories of crypto-assets under MiCAR is based on the risks they entail and whether the crypto-assets seek to stabilise their value by reference to other assets. Both ARTs and e-money tokens purport to maintain a stable value by reference to other assets, while the third catch-all category of other crypto-assets does not pursue such function through collateralisation. Algorithmic stablecoins, which are not backed by reserve assets will not classify as ARTs.

The demarcation line between e-money tokens and ARTs is drawn by the type of reference assets. E-money tokens may refer only to a single fiat currency while ARTs may refer to a broader class of assets, including baskets of goods, commodities, other crypto-assets, a combination of such assets or fiat currencies. ARTs cover only crypto-assets, which do not qualify as e-money tokens. In contrast to e-money tokens, ARTs may refer to a fiat currency only in combination with other fiat currencies or a basket of assets.

To ensure the regulation is future proof, the final version of the definition of ARTs under MiCAR includes a broad reference to the scope of possible collateral assets. However, such a broad reference allows for a large variety of reference assets, which means that the price of some types of reference assets may fluctuate.

The intended function of ARTs as a means of exchange as opposed to store of value and investment instrument is reflected in the prohibition for the issuers and crypto-asset service providers to grant interest on the holding of ARTs. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will publish guidelines on the criteria for distinction between crypto-assets, and in particular ARTs, under MiCAR and financial instruments under the Directive on markets financial instruments (MiFID II).

2.AUTHORISATION: REQUIREMENTS AND EXEMPTIONS

Firms issuing ARTs must be incorporated and licensed under MiCAR within the territory of the EU. Therefore, non-EU entities issuing ARTs currently in the EU should act now to establish a company in a EU member state and obtain a license, given that the authorisation process is time-consuming. Firms based in the EU already offering ARTs but are not authorised should analyse if their activities could be and to what degree covered by MiCAR requirements in order to prepare for licensing before MiCAR comes into force.

Validity of ART license for the entire European Union

Offering to the public and admission to trading of ARTs will require an authorisation. The issuer of ARTs must be:

a legal person or undertaking established in the EU that has obtained a license by the Competent Authority (CA) of its home member state; or
already licensed credit institution (which does not need a special authorisation, but must comply with certain rules).

The authorisation gives access to the European passport. It means that the license granted by the home regulator is valid across the entire EU and allows an issuer of ARTs to offer to the public, throughout the EU, the ART for which it has been authorised or to admit to trading such ART on a crypto platform.

Exemptions

The rules stated above on who can issue ARTs will not apply:

if the offer to the public of ARTs is addressed solely to and can only be held by qualified investors; or
the average outstanding value of issued ARTs does not exceed EUR 5 million (or the equivalent amount in another official currency) over a 12-month period.

Application for authorisation and assessment

The authorisation process involves detailed investigation of the application submitted by the issuer to the regulator and extends to, among other things, information on the issuer, a programme of operations setting out the business model adopted, a crypto-asset white paper, governance arrangements and a number of policies and procedures (e.g. BCP, internal control mechanism and risk management policy, safeguarding data procedure, etc.). The documentation and data to be filed under the licensing procedure will be further specified in the regulatory technical standards to be developed by the European Banking Authority (EBA) in close cooperation with ESMA and the European Central Bank (ECB).

Although formally the timeframe for issuing the draft decision by the regulator is 60 working days from the receipt of a complete application, it is likely that the final authorisation would be in the range of a few months of minimal processing period, given the involvement of EBA, ESMA and ECB (or relevant central bank) in the process. The regulator could refuse authorisation where there are objective and demonstrable grounds that the issuer fails to meet MiCAR’s requirements or that the issuer’s business model might pose a serious threat to market integrity, financial stability, systems for the smooth operation of payment, or exposes the issuer or the sector to serious risks of money laundering and terrorist financing.

3.WHITE PAPER

The white paper should contain all information concerning the issuer, the ART itself and the offer of ARTs or their admission to trading that is necessary to enable prospective buyers to make an informed purchase decision and understand the risks relating to the offer of ARTs. The crypto-asset white paper must contain detailed information about the issuer and the ART, which includes detailed information on certain technical, environmental, financial and legal aspects of the ARTs. The whitepaper has to be clear, fair and not misleading. The white paper will need to be published on the issuer’s website. If the issuer does not meet the obligations regarding the quality of the content, the management or CA may be liable to a holder of ARTs.

Compliance with the obligations for an ART white paper is essential for issuers of ARTs. Failure to meet these obligations may result in liability for the management of the issuer.

The issuer is obliged to publish and notify a crypto-asset white paper to the relevant supervising authority. The white paper should contain all the information about the issuer of the ART, the ART itself, the offer to the public of the ART or its admission to trading, the rights and obligations attached to the ART, the underlying technology, the risks, the reserve of assets and the principal adverse impacts on the climate and other environment-related impacts of the consensus mechanism used to issue the ART. Furthermore, the white paper must contain a clear and unambiguous statement that the ART may lose its value in part or in full, that it may not always be transferable, that it may not be liquid, and that the ART is not covered by investor compensation schemes and deposit guarantee schemes.

The white paper will need to be published on the issuer’s website. The information mentioned in the white paper should be fair, clear and not misleading and should be presented in a concise and comprehensible manner. If the issuer fails to do so, the management body of the issuer may be liable to a holder of the ART for any loss due to that infringement.

4.OBLIGATIONS FOR ART ISSUERS

In order to ensure the stable value of their ARTs, issuers must establish and maintain reserves of assets that support the value of their ARTs. There are also requirements regarding the own funds of the issuer of ARTs. These issuers are required to have own funds equal to an amount of at least the highest of the following:

EUR 350,000;
2% of the average amount of the reserve of assets; or
a quarter of the fixed overheads of the preceding year.

The marketing communications relating to the issuance of ARTs also must comply with certain requirements.

Issuers of ARTs must carefully assess the financial requirements related to the issuance of their tokens, taking into account the reserve of assets and own funds requirements.

Reserve of assets and prudential requirements

Issuers of ARTs must establish and maintain an asset reserve at all times. The composition and management of the reserve should effectively mitigate the risks linked to the assets referenced by the ARTs and address the liquidity risks following from the ongoing redemption rights of the token holders. The reserve of assets should be separated from the issuer’s assets and from the reserve of assets of other ARTs.

Furthermore, issuers should establish and implement custody policies, procedures and contractual arrangements regarding the reserve assets. These reserve assets may be invested by the issuer. However, a part of the reserve of assets must only be invested in highly liquid financial instruments with minimal risk.

As stated before, there are also requirements regarding the own funds of the issuer of asset-refences tokens. These issuers are required to have own funds equal to an amount of at least the highest of the following:

EUR 350,000;
2% of the average amount of the reserve of assets; or
a quarter of the fixed overheads of the preceding year.

The CA of the home member state may require an issuer of an ART to hold an amount of own funds up to 20% higher than the amount if it considers that there is an increased risk in relation to the tokens or assets held.

Other obligations for ART issuers

The marketing communications relating to the issuance of ARTs must comply with certain requirements. The marketing must be clearly identifiable as such and provide accurate and transparent information that aligns with the white paper.

Furthermore, the marketing should clearly disclose the publication of a white paper and provide contact details for the issuer’s website, telephone number, and email address. The marketing communications should be notified to the relevant CA upon request.

5.SIGNIFICANT ASSET REFERENCED TOKENS

Issuers of ARTs need to consider the criteria on significant ARTs in order to be prepared to comply with the related additional obligations set in MiCAR. Under any circumstance, if the ART complies with at least three of the characteristics of a significant token, it will be classified as such. The following are some of these characteristics:

The size of the client base of the asset referenced token is greater than 10 million;
The value of the ART issued, its market capitalisation (if any) or the size of the reserve of assets of the issuer of the ART exceeds EUR 5 billion;
The issuer of the ART is a central platform service provider designated as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Regulation.

The CAs have the obligation to report to the EBA the information about the significant ARTs at least twice a year. The EBA will make the final decision and will notify the issuers of such tokens.

The main consequences for the issuers of significant ARTs will be to comply with additional obligations related to the remuneration policy, assessment, and monitoring of liquidity needs or to hold an average amount of reserves of at least 3%.

Subsequently, issuers of ARTs must carefully assess the criteria that could classify ARTs as significant, taking into account the period during which the CA must report to the EBA.

ARTs may be classified as significant as long as they meet at least three of the following criteria:

The size of the client base of the asset-referenced token is greater than 10 million;
The value of the ART issued, its market capitalisation (if any) or the size of the reserve of assets of the issuer of the ART exceeds EUR 5 billion;
The average number and aggregate value of transactions in that ART per day during the relevant period, is higher than 2.5 million transactions and EUR 500 million respectively;
The issuer of the ART is a central platform service provider designated as a gatekeeper under the Digital Markets Regulation;
The importance of the activities of the issuer of the ART on an international scale, including the use of the ART for payments and remittances;
The interconnectedness of the ART or its issuers with the financial system;
The fact that the same issuer issues at least one additional ART or e-money token, and provides at least one crypto-asset service.

In this regard, ARTs will be classified as significant during two possible periods covered by:

The first report of information submitted by the CA to the EBA; or
At least two consecutive reports of information submitted by the CA to the EBA.

Therefore, if the EBA considers the ARTs to be significant, it will prepare a draft decision to that effect and notify the issuers, making its final decision within 60 working days.

The consequences to be classified as significant ARTs is that ARTs’ issuers will have the subsequent additional obligations:

Adopt a remuneration policy that promotes sound and effective risk management;
A duty on issuers to ensure that these ARTs can be held in custody by different crypto-asset service providers authorised for providing custody and administration of crypto-assets on behalf of clients;
A duty to assess and monitor the liquidity needs to meet potential redemption requests. Thus, issuers of significant ARTs must establish, maintain and implement a liquidity management policy and procedures;
Conduct liquidity stress testing on a regular basis; and
Increase of the average amount of reserve assets to 3%.

Additionally, it should be noted that issuers applying for authorisation should indicate in their application that they wish to classify their ARTs as significant tokens, and demonstrating, by providing their programme of activities, that the requirements to be considered significant tokens will be met.

6.Conclusion

MiCAR regulates for the first time the issuance of ARTs, which will change the entire EU crypto-asset market, including the need to comply with new regulatory obligations. Issuers of ARTs must take into consideration the requirements and obligations set out in this article.

For other articles in the series “Legal experts on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation”, click here: Legal experts on Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation (cms.law)