Corky creativity: Vinifest calls for art projects made from corks

29 August 2013

BEIRUT: Vinifest organizers are telling the countrys more creative wine drinkers to stick a cork in it, or more like 1,000 corks. Organizers of the yearly wine festival will host a competition for the best wine-cork art a design of the artists choice made completely of 1,000 corks. Vinifests event planners, Eventions, will supply the bag of corks. Participants have until Sept. 20 to finish their quirky or should we say corky works of art. This years Vinifest will take place at Beiruts Hippodrome from Oct. 7 to 13.

A representative from Eventions said the competition was part of an effort to include arts and culture in the theme of this years festival. In addition to a cork art competition, there will also be a photography competition and other art-related events, she said.

We are also trying to show that behind the wine is a great culture, she said. The theme of this years cork competition is Wine, Art and Culture.

As recycled furniture and art has become increasingly trendy, wine cork art has been popping up and amateur designers are sharing the fruits of their labor on websites like Pintrest and Instagram. Everything from cork-based Christmas decorations to complex cork mosaics can be found on do-it-yourself websites. Around 10 people so far have signed up for the contest.

Vinifest will host a small jury to judge the various cork designs and will award the top four works during the festival, Eventions said. Prizes for the top four winners include a $500 cash prize, a $300 gift from Khoury Home, a decanter from Spiegelau and a so-called cork gift from Stock Cork.

There are few rules for the competition except for cork count and dimensions between 50 cm and 2 meters. Entrants may use color to add to their concept, according to the rule sheet.

This will be Vinifests sixth year showing off the wines of Lebanon in Beirut. The festival will be laid out geographically, organizing vineyards by their region in Lebanon, Eventions representative said. Visitors may sample well-known Lebanese wines as well as boutique wineries and even a range of brand new vineyards debuting their products at the October event, she said.

The event will also host the French Embassy as their guests of honor by displaying a range of French wines, a Michelin-star chef and a small wine-tasting academy for those who need a little education with their vino.

The real focus, of course, will be Lebanons growing wine industry, which was featured internationally in France this year and will show again in Germany in 2014.

Half of Lebanons wine production is exported abroad, Eventions representative said.

Lebanese wine is getting better and better. Its being recognized all over the world, she said. We also want Lebanese people to know their own wine.

For more information or to compete in this years Vinifest cork design competition, call 01-280-085 or visit their website at www.vinifestlebanon.com.