We had 11 participants and the entries were awesome! Thank you very much! 

![enter image description here](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nTtgDOZJ-9sxW1htihv0GLvOmS4nw_lyHS0pv1ZHFfzPU7VvlRtdFdvl7Owz6tKpp8FQF48A=s0 "keys artquest.jpg")

The task of the **ARTchallenge#9 was a surreal drawing of a talented artist and just a great guy @paolobeneforti**. Thank you very much, Paolo! It was great and we need to repeat! 

![enter image description here](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VFbQCs7bAR4/WRq-E7KkYkI/AAAAAAAAMWU/JnIP2ItLmAM1CLwl9Jk4eQMekM4erWt9QCLcB/s0/U5dtQW5APCRPRGeTbSBtM8yx63CdA4a_1680x8400.jpg "U5dtQW5APCRPRGeTbSBtM8yx63CdA4a_1680x8400.jpg")
*Paolo Beneforti*

My interpretation of the painting could be the following. Fish means God in many religious. And here fish is in on the sky. It is the Truth. But there are many people, 	Pharisees, who know the Bible and God's commandments but they don't fulfill them indeed. They can fasten, read prays and go to church but it is all on outside. There is no mercy,   believe and love to people in what they do. They seem doing everything to the books but there is no kindness and forgiveness.  There is no REAL LOVE. One saint said: **"Eat meat, don't eat people!"** That is real fasting. 
There is a good example of it: In Russian Orthodox church there are rules how you should be dressed when you go to church. And when a woman comes to a church for the first time let's say in jeans or with the uncovered head there is always somebody very "religious" who would  be berating her. And she might not come back there again.  **So, books are important but be "religious" inside - love people.** 


**This challenge was judged by the amazing couple Silvia and Paolo Beneforties, (@paolobeneforti and @silviabeneforti). I think it was very encouraging as the Author judged the interpretations to his drawing by HIMSELF! Real Challenge!** 

**AND THE WINNERS ARE:**

**THE THIRD PRIZE (150 TRAIL + 10 STEEM) GOES TO:**@wordsword

*Judges' comment: By just a few poetic lines, this interpretation gets a complete reading of the drawing and catches a reasonable meaning for it.*

https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@wordsword/artchallenge-9-surreal-drawing-paolobeneforti-poem-speechless-reef

**Speechless reef**
    
    Fish in the sky, over books that are empty.
    People are lost, rushing fast through the maze.
    Going nowhere there's no end and no entry.
    Lost without words, as their memories fade.
    Fish staying silent they watch from up high.
    Over books that are empty, where people rush by.

**THE SECOND PRIZE (250 TRAIL + 15 STEEM) GOES TO:**@saiku 

*Judges' comment:  A keen philosophical interpretation where each part of the drawing has an effective role.*

> **My take on this:** The drawing appears to provide a tongue-in-cheek analysis of the modern world, where physical books are merely
> obstacles rather than sources of information. Those in the maze are
> not reading the books, they are simply lost amongst them. No one cares
> for books anymore; traditional research requires physical effort in
> sourcing, locating and absorbing the material. The fish signify
> evolution. They are able to escape the outdated confines of formative
> education and said books by rising above them. They are swimming
> through the borderless span of the Internet, where one can venture
> anywhere without the effort of traversing a literary landscape. They
> rose above the maze itself and are unconfined and, due to their
> inherent success, they outnumber those individuals still feeling their
> way blindly through the maze.

**THE FIRST PRIZE (300 TRAIL + 20 STEEM) GOES TO:**@girlbeforemirror 

*Judge's comment: Very in-depth interpretation and detailed analysis, with more than one view and a non-conventional approach!*

https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@girlbeforemirror/artquest-trail-9-paolo-beneforti

> **Fish out of water.**
> **Plenty more fish in the sea.**
> **Fishing for a clue.**
> 
> The absurd portayal of the people wandering through a maze of books,
> seemingly lost, as the numerous fish swim above seems to invert the
> two roles.
> This is represented by a reef of books and seems to portray the
> situation we currently find ourselves. The flood of information on the
> internet, that doesn't necessarily transpire as knowledge, the fake
> news once in print is fact , every thought becomes fact once in print.
> Everything regardless of the knowledge, research and disclosure of
> bias is now presented as a alternate facts.
> 
> The separation of humans from the natural environment, and the
> disconnection from nature, is also effectively portrayed.
> 
> **As I interpret the people in a underwater reef, I can also assume they are seeking sea life.** 
> But the previously described displacement
> from the environment has them separated from the very thing they seek,
> as the fish circle in great numbers above them, neither the fish or
> the people seem aware or connected to each others world.
> 
> Although this piece is described by the artist @paolobeneforti as a
> sketch, it is most definitely a surrealist work. By freeing the
> observer from rationality in order to get a message across.
> 
> In other sketches in the series which you will find linked below, the
> artists also challenges the viewer in a similar way. By removing the
> subject from its usual environment.
> 
> https://steemit.com/art/@paolobeneforti/some-sketches-from-a-drawing-afternoon-and-remember-the-art-trail-contest-for-drawings
> 
> **I very much enjoy this work.** Its approach appears simplistic, but in this form the artist is able to utilise this nonthreatening
> technique to introduce some very thought provoking ideas.
> 
> **Fish out of water** - Both species displaced.
> 
> **More fish in the sea** - yet the people wander alone and aimlessly.
> 
> **Fishing for ideas**- Fact from fiction in a world flooded with ideas.

**CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!!!** 

**THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR PARTICIPATING!!!**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR JUDGES, SILVIA AND PAOLO, AND OUR SPONSOR @LOOFTEE!!!!!!**

All the information about TRAIL and how to claim it you can find [here](https://steemit.com/steemtrail/@steemtrail/trail-coin-trail-participation-rewards).


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To claim TRAIL you need to open an account. Just go to [Open Ledger Account](https://bitshares.openledger.info/?r=steem-trail) and follow the instructions. Then submit your Open Ledger account info (OL account “my-username” and Steem account “my-username”) in the [#open-ledger-account-add channel ](https://discordapp.com/channels/237494690100936704/260548877055295499) or to me. 


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I would like to thank **Steem Trail team**, @ogochukwu and @looftee for supporting this challenge. 


**THEME FOR ARTCHALLENGE #10 will be announced tomorrow, the 23rd of May and I can say you that there will BE A SURPRISE again.**

You can see the previous artchallenges here: 

[Winners of Artquest#8](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@artquest-trail/winners-of-artquest-8-announcement) 10 participants 
[Winners of Artchallenge#7](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@artquest-trail/winners-of-artchallenge-7-announcement) 6 participants
[Winners of Artchallenge#6](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-6-new-theme-for-artchallenge-7-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this) 7 participants 
[Winners of Artchallenge#5](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-5-new-theme-for-artchallenge-6-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this) 8 participants
[Winners of Artchallenge#4](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-4-new-theme-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this-artchallenge) 9 participants 
[Winners of Artchallnege#3](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-3-new-theme-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this-artchallenge) 11 participants
[Winners of Artchallenge#2](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-2-new-theme-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this-artchallenge) 6 participants
[Winners of ARTchallenge#1 ](https://steemit.com/artchallenge/@aksinya/winners-of-artchallenge-1-new-theme-announcement-no-need-to-be-an-artist-or-an-art-expert-to-join-this-artchallenge) 14 participants


**EVERYBODY IS WELCOME!**


I would like to **THANK** again those who supported this challenge. 

Please **FOLLOW, VOTE** and **RESTEEM** this post. 

**I will be also very happy to any support of the artchallenge! If you want to be a judge or a sponsor, you are very welcome!** 

**Join me on a quest to discover the treasures of beautiful artworks!** 

Always yours, @aksinya.