No one is truly qualified to judge the art of another individual as the creator first has to satisfy him or herself, that's the extent of the initial "coming to being" of art. In a "juried art competition", none of that is tested, of course. For it to live beyond the creator of the work, it needs to get experienced and create interest, "draw" and appreciation in at least a few other people! The reviewing panel may simply not be interested in the the type of work before them. To have interest, one must at least be open to the style offered. That depend on previous availability and access to like work, as well as countless cultural tastes and sources of reference to "get it".
For art beyond the individual, an arc of exported artistic intent and then evoked interest and artistic appreciation must occur for the private work to get air in its nostrils and become "public art" we simply term "art". In this process, the actual original intent might not carry through completely and the observer might have feelings and ideas evoked, unimagined by the artist in making that work. However, that is the promise of art. It becomes a mobile living but personally malleable "universe" in which, paradoxically, the observers own ideas, references, esthetic taste, needs, fears and prejudices all come to play in how this now "playground" for imagination works on any given individual. I can the later star an "inaginorium" and each observer creates his or own with each work of art they observe!
So where does competitiveness come in? It can be an engine for an otherwise private interest to be exported to the public domain with a sense of doing one's best, anticipation and therefore satisfaction and reward when one's work is noticed, talked about and draws in more interest in a chain effect. This process encourages us to actually be more productive.
However, whether or not one is "selected" from among countless other competing photographers has only a limited bearing on the value of the art to a long term, time-tested, collectors or museum art market, which anyway is partly rigged and partly biased to narrow interests of "gatekeepers" with different motivations as to what they want to buy, sell, collect or preserve for future generations as "art".
For me, it's already wonderful to see my own photographs framed and mounted on my own walls. In an exhibition or gallery it's a fabulous feeling that one is sharing with the public and perhaps "arriving" somewhere relevant and special. But that is always partly self-delusional so I focus on enjoying looking at my own work and those of the photographers I like, every day. That I am certain is worth my while!l, as I am an expert on my own taste, LOL!
Asher
