Below is a call for submissions for an exhibition to be held at the Urbana Independent Media Center in Urbana-Champaign Il. It is being organized by students of mine Daryl McCurdy and Joe Anderson. A contact email if you are interested in submitting work: [email protected]
best,
Bonnie
Call for Submissions
A Vernacular of Dissent: American _expression_ and the America of
George W. Bush It has been widely acknowledged in the United States and abroad that the past eight years of American politics and policy have been fraught with controversy and intense opinions ranging from patriotism to anti-nationalism, support to demonization. Not only have politics come to the emotional forefront in the mind of Americans, but for artists it has become a topic for _expression_. During the Bush administration artists, activists, and everyday citizens alike began and continue to contribute to a developing vernacular of dissent specific to the previous administration and its vision. Two wars, torture, and Guantanamo Bay, among other hotbeds for content, continue to inspire the creation of both expository and activist literature and artwork that deals explicitly with political issues. There is a widespread impulse in artistic production and reception to hold artwork to a timeless standard. As political artwork is rooted in the present as a reaction to a specific moment in history, this connection to enduring relevance is made problematic. What does the displaced status of political art do to the power its images? What happens to these images once a specific political condition has passed? In this exhibition we aim to create an archive of sorts that documents instances of American dissent. What role does this recent history play in the formation and realization of ideas of the now? Does the potency of political art loose weight now that there is a new administration in Washington? Will America’s current fascination with the vision of Hope provided by the incoming administration render these works and their collective vernacular of dissent as artifacts of American hysteria?
For an upcoming exhibition, we will be accepting submissions for any variety of _expression_ made during, and/or in response to the past eight years of American political trajectory, as well as current explorations of contemporary political sentiment. Possible submissions may be, but are not limited to, painting, video, illustration, essays, pamphlets, or documentation of protests.
May 7 - 9, Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
Please submit a proposal that includes documentation, installation information, and contact information. Documentation may be in the form of, but not limited to: sketches, written material, CD or DVD. Please be clear about what, if any, multi-media equipment your work
requires. Submissions should include detailed consideration of display materials. We have a limited budget for installation and exhibition expenses and will not be able to admit art that is expensive or excessively difficult to install, no matter how much we’d like to. Local artists will be asked to help during installation and take down.
Curatorial Process:
This exhibition will be loosely juried by UIUC BFA students Joe Anderson and Daryl McCurdy. We would like to be as inclusive as possible, however logistical issues may become a factor. Personal politics and interest will be set-aside during the selection of work.
Please send submissions to:
Daryl McCurdy
704 W Illinois Street
Urbana, IL 61801
(Please include a self-addressed and stamped envelope if you
would like any materials returned.)
OR email submissions to: [email protected]
Submission Deadline: Thursday, April 17
Notification of Acceptance: Monday, April 20
Work Due: Monday, May 4
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