"The opposition is undeniable. But the keepers cannot agree."
Every system has its shadow. Every rhythm faces silence.
Please read all instructions carefully before posting your work or asking any questions.
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STEP 1: The Trace
STEP 2: The Landform
STEP 3: The Breathing Rite
STEP 4: The Keepers
STEP 5 : The Network
STEP 6 : The Opposition
Synopsis
The opposition has been revealed. The threat is real.
But the network does not break from external force; it fractures from within.
Some keepers strengthen their bonds. Others sever theirs.
Some sites adapt the breathing rite. Others refuse any change.
Some seek to understand the threat. Others prepare to resist it.
The question is no longer "What threatens us?"
It becomes "Who are we?"
This is your world's first internal division — a philosophical, strategic, or spiritual split that changes the network forever. Different approaches emerge. Competing rituals form. Sites diverge. The keepers, once unified in purpose, now face each other across an invisible boundary.
The opposition created pressure. The schism is the response.
🔹 Focus: Division Through Choice
How does unity break?
The schism isn't necessarily violent; it's the moment when agreement becomes impossible.
Do some keepers embrace the opposition's presence while others resist?
Does one faction strengthen the network, while another believes it should be dissolved?
Are there competing interpretations of the breathing rite's purpose?
Has the opposition revealed a fundamental disagreement that was always there?
Show the split visually:
Two contrasting sites side-by-side (one adapted, one unchanged)
A single site mid-transformation (old methods vs. new, visible tension)
Symbolic division (a broken connection, diverging paths, competing signals)
Keepers in confrontation (two approaches meeting at a boundary)
The land itself reflects the fracture
Don't explain the entire conflict. Let the viewer sense the division through architecture, light, gesture, symbol, or the silence between sites.
Color + Mood
Your visual language now contains rupture.
How does your established palette express internal division?
Do the two approaches use different colors, or has one side's palette shifted?
Does the schism drain vibrancy, or does it create stark contrast?
Are there visual echoes of your earlier steps now appearing in opposition to each other?
Let color and composition show philosophical distance, not through chaos, but through divergence. This is a structured disagreement, not a collapse.
The network still breathes. But not in unison.
Meaning and Intention
In 1–3 sentences:
What divides the keepers or the network?
What are the two (or more) approaches that have emerged?
How does this schism relate to the opposition you established in Step 6?
Keep the conflict ideological, mysterious, inevitable. A schism isn't a villain; it's a choice that cannot be unmade.
⚠️ Avoid:
Showing a complete battle or war scene
Making it simple, "good vs. evil", both sides should have valid reasoning
Over-explaining the division, show it through contrast, not exposition
Creating generic factions unless they serve your world's logic
Forgetting your previous steps, the schism must emerge from what you've built
Step 7 Checklist
✅ One image depicting the schism, division, or contrasting approaches
✅ Consistent or evolving visual identity from Steps 1-6
✅ 1–3 sentence description
✅ Optional: contrasting rituals, divided sites, keeper confrontations, symbolic breaks
⚠️ Tag your post: Challenge Step 7
📊 Scoring & Timeline
Scoring & Timeline
Category
Points
Visual Quality
10 pts
Creativity / Concept
10 pts
Jury Score (avg.)
15 pts
Bonus Content
+3 pts
🔗 SPECIAL NOTE: Connected Challenge
Connected Challenge Arc
Steps 6 and 7 complete a two-step narrative arc. The opposition you established in Step 6 directly informs the schism in Step 7.
Extended Deadline for Steps 1-7:
All steps from 1 to 7 can be submitted until December 8th, 5:00 PM CET.
New Participant Entry:
Artists entering the challenge for the first time at this stage (who have not submitted any previous steps) may join with a 5-point total penalty (approximately 1.8% of the maximum possible score of 280 points).
⚠️ IMPORTANT: To be eligible, new participants must submit ALL steps from 1 through 7 before the December 8th deadline. Partial submissions (Step 7 only, or Steps 6-7 only) will not be eligible for scoring. The complete journey from trace to schism is required.
Holiday Break:
After Step 7, the challenge will pause for the holidays.
Step 8 will open: January 5th, 2026
Submission Instructions
One submission per artist
Upload to the Submit an IAMC26 Entry space
Use any format or dimensions
Include your written description in the caption
Tag with: Challenge Step 7
General Rules and FAQ, available here
Questions? Use the IAMC26 Challenge Q&A space.