“Through Crafting Democracy, we call upon artists, crafts people, and makers to explore how the making of art and the creation of material objects can unite, divide, unsettle and uplift those who live in the United States.”
[Please note that submissions for the show closed June 1, 2018. Check the “Accepted Artists” page for our juried list of selected artists.]
CALL FOR ARTISTS, CRAFTS PEOPLE, AND MAKERS
Exhibit Co-Curators:
Juilee Decker, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Museum Studies Program jdgsh@rit.edu and
Hinda Mandell, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Communication hbmgpt@rit.edu
Rochester Institute of Technology
On View: August 2019-October 2019
Harold Hacker Hall, Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County, Rochester, NY
Deadline for Submissions: June 1, 2018 noon EST (GMT-5h) via Dropbox.com
Rationale for the exhibit:
Crafting Democracy: Fiber Arts and Activism explores how the confluence of craft, art and activism allows the public to respond to current events relating to race, religion, citizenship status, disability, gender and sexuality. After all, contemporary Craftivism “marries” a DIY, grassroots makers’ ethic with commemorative culture to reveal a unique relationship that is democratic, visual, and rooted in the desire for social change. Through Crafting Democracy, we call upon artists, craftspeople, and makers to explore how making art and creating material objects can unite, divide, unsettle and uplift those who live in the United States. Thus, all submitted works must use fiber arts, drawing upon fiber as a keen metaphor reflecting our social, human “fabric” that sees textiles as a tool to build community through participatory action.
Since Rochester, New York, was once home to the social-change icons of Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony – and is the site of their final resting places at Mount Hope Cemetery – the co-curators especially invite works that explore the lasting and unfinished legacies of these renowned abolitionist and suffragist icons in the United States, and the role of craft activism in the Black Lives Matter and Women’s March movements. Of particular interest in this call are how craft is racialized and gendered throughout this country’s history.
Eligibility: International call. Open to all artists regardless of location, media, or experience level. Please note: costs associated with delivery and return of the artwork are to be paid by artists.
Conditions: Artists must deliver (or ship) their artwork to the library (exhibit location) by Monday, July 22, 2019. Works must be retrieved by Friday, November 1, 2019.
All accepted artwork must be ready to hang or display, requiring a pedestal, fishing line, or nail/screw for attaching to the substrate. The top of the work must be identified on the work itself or in the handling instructions. Artists must provide installation instructions for any job requiring special handling instructions or installation methods.
Artists may choose to make their work available for sale. However, the work must remain on view for the duration of the exhibit. All negotiations between the artist and the purchaser are to be handled directly. No commissions will be taken, although we would appreciate knowing if your work does sell due to being on view in Crafting Democracy.
Submission Requirements: Artists may submit up to three works for consideration. Each work may be considered separately unless otherwise by the artist that the work should be shown as a single body of work.
Submission Format Requirements:
Submit no more than ten files in total
· Image files (one per work, details as necessary): images no greater than 300 ppi
· Image list: artist, title, date of creation, media (no more than 1 page) with name, and contact details on the top of the page
· Artist statement (no more than 1 page) with name, contact details on the top of the page
· Artist bio (no more than 1 page) with name, contact details on the top of the page
· Artist cv (no more than two pages)
Art requirements:
All submitted works must use fiber arts, drawing upon fiber as a keen metaphor reflecting our social, human “fabric.”
Due to the contemporary nature of this call, only work created from 2015-present will be considered.
Because of the historic nature of the building and the specifications of the gallery space, the selection of works involving projections and other media requiring reliable electricity may be limited.
Entry Deadline: June 1, 2018, noon EST (GMT-5h) via Dropbox.com. Please submit via Dropbox.
Accepted works will be identified by August 1, 2018
Event Dates: Exhibit on view August-October 2019
Deliver results by Monday, July 22, 2019
Questions?
Please contact Juilee Decker (jdgsh@rit.edu) and Hinda Mandell (hbmgpt@rit.edu). We look forward to hearing from you.
Please note that submissions to the show closed on June 1, 2018.
