Call to Artists

Visual Art Guidelines

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Calling artists to create artwork inspired by Pictures at an Exhibition. Deadline September 10, 2016. Submissions are closed. Artists will receive word by September 25, 2016.

Artists in and around the Greater Boston Area are invited to create and submit artworks inspired by Pictures at an Exhibition, a suite of ten movements for piano composed by Modest  Mussorgsky by September 10, 2016 for a juried show that is part of a multi-media event.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The original idea for Pictures at an Exhibition Reframed, a multi-media event and celebration of the connections between the arts, came from the moving story of composer, Modest Mussorgsky, and his artist friend, Viktor Hartmann. Mussorgsky wrote a work for piano as a tribute to Hartmann after the painter’s sudden and untimely death. The composer used the artist’s paintings and the idea of an exhibition of his works to give shape to the music that became known as Pictures at an Exhibition.

Pictures at an Exhibition Reframed seeks to continue this creative flow by allowing Mussorgsky’s famous work, as interpreted by pianist Yelena Beriyeva, to inspire visual artists in the Greater Boston Area. The result will be a juried show of two-dimensional art which will be displayed at a public performance of the composer’s piece by Beriyeva in Jenkins Auditorium in Malden, Massachusetts on Saturday, November 5, 2016. The event will also include a dramatic presentation inspired by the friendship between the two original artists, a special high school art exhibit, and projections of select submissions during the concert.  An additional exhibit of accepted artists’ work will follow in the gallery at MATV, Malden’s Media Center, and will continue until January 12, 2017.

The exhibit-concert and following art exhibit at MATV are intended not only to provide artistic stimulation and inspiration for visual artists in Greater Boston, but also to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of music, visual art and the creative process for the general public. More about the project:  http://artfulwebs.com/pictures.

THE PROCESS

Pictures at an Exhibition Reframed is different from a traditional Call for Entries—it is an enhanced experience! Interested artists are strongly encouraged to listen to a recording of a private workshop held on Saturday, June 11, 1-3pm. Pianist Yelena Beriyeva played and discussed the piece. Artists can request this recording today.

Artists will have until Saturday, September 10, 2016 to create artwork directly inspired by Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (the piano work, rather than the orchestral version). Access to other piano recordings of Pictures at an Exhibition are available on YouTube, but this workshop will help artists appreciate Beriyeva’s perspective and artistic interpretation. From the works accepted for general exhibit, Beriyeva will help to select one accepted submission for each movement to be projected during the performance on November 5th.

Accepted artwork will be on display for viewing before the performance. The exhibit will then be moved to the MATV Gallery until January 12, 2017 and will be available online. The MATV Gallery exhibit will be accessible Monday-Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, 10am-2pm. Recordings of the concert will also be available via podcast to enhance the viewing experience.

GUIDELINES

  • Participants must be 18 years or older and from the Greater Boston area.
  • Due to constraints of the gallery, only 2D work will be accepted: paintings, drawings, mixed media, prints, original photographs, or fiber works that hang flat on a wall.
  • Framed, completed artwork maximum horizontal width of 30 inches; no minimum size.
  • Work must be dry and ready to hang; simple framing is preferred. No uniframes (two pieces of Plexiglas held together with clamps) permitted. Stretched canvas permitted if ready to hang.
  • Fee: $15 entry fee for up to three works. Please submit and pay online.
  • If you have any questions about the application, call 781-480-3214 or email maldencreates@gmail.com. Artists who submit artwork (regardless of whether their work is selected) will be given a free ticket to the live performance on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
  • All artwork must be original. No copies of paintings, reproductions, or photographs other than those taken by the artist are permitted.
  • Artists are strongly encouraged to listen to Yelena Beriyeva perform and discuss this music in a private piano workshop held Saturday, June 11, 1-3pm (see above).
  • No artwork may be removed from the exhibit prior to its closing. Artwork may be for sale, but arrangements must be made directly with the artist. MATV does not collect a commission.
  • Artists must sign a “Hold Harmless” agreement with Pictures at an Exhibition Reframed and MATV Gallery. The agreement will be made available after juror results are announced, September 25, 2016.
  • Please note: participants must have an active email account. Project updates and announcements will be posted at http://www.artfulwebs.com/pictures/.

SUBMITTING ARTWORK

  1. Complete the application form: http://artfulwebs.com/pictures/artist-application. Please submit high quality jpg files at 300 dpi and no longer than 1600 pixels in either direction. Select images will be used for print and online publicity.
  2. Artists whose work is accepted will receive instructions about where and when to drop off framed artwork. They will also be given the contact information for someone who can help them make arrangements for drop-off.

ABOUT THE JURY

Elizabeth Scorsello earned a BFA majoring in painting from the Mass College of Art.  She is a member of the Malden Sketch Group, participating in their annual exhibits. She has also shown artist’s books, paper flowers and scarves in Window Arts Malden. Scorsello is a citizen journalist and photographer for Neighborhood View, Malden’s news blog. Currently she works in paint, pencil, paper and fabric. Her articles are available at http://neighborhoodview.org.

Paige Wallis attended an arts-based high school, Etobicoke School of the Arts, in Ontario, Canada before receiving a BFA specializing in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. While her preferred media are watercolors and acrylics, she also enjoys creating digital works with Photoshop and Illustrator. Wallis is a member of the North Shore Arts Association and exhibits in the Greater Boston area. Her works can be viewed online at http://soothedbyrainfallstudios.com.

Keith Knight is a people–rapper, social activist, father, and one of funniest and most highly regarded cartoonists in America. Creator of three popular comic strips: the Knight Life, (th)ink, and the K Chronicles, this multi-award-winning artist has a uniquely personal style that’s a cross between Calvin & Hobbes, MAD, and underground comix. A graduate of Malden High school and recent honoree at the Malden Martin Luther King Luncheon, Keith Knight is part of a  generation of  African-American artists who were raised on hip-hop, and infuse their work with urgency, edge, humor, satire, politics and race. His art has appeared in various publications worldwide, including  the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Salon.com, Ebony, ESPN the Magazine, L.A. Weekly, MAD Magazine, and the Funny Times. For more information, visit  http://www.knightlifecomic.com.

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT SPACES

Jenkins Auditorium (Malden High School) seats 900 and is located at 77 Salem Street, Malden. Artwork will be displayed on panels in the lobby of Jenkins Auditorium during the concert and then moved for the remainder of the exhibit to MATV Gallery.

MATV Gallery at Malden Access Television is an intimate, community-centered art exhibition space located at 145 Pleasant Street, Malden. It is open to the public Monday-Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday 10am to 6pm, and Saturday, 10am-2pm.

IMPORTANT DATES

  • June 11, 2016 from 1-3pm, Somerville: Private concert and workshop for artists interested in submitting art to the jury. Registration required. Go to http://picturesreframed.bpt.me to register. Space is limited, so please register early.
  • September 10: Artist submission due online to committee for judging. (deadline extended)
  • September 25: Notification of accepted artists.
  • November 4 – 5: Artwork drop-off (location to be determined)
  • November 5: Installation of temporary exhibit
  • November 5, 4-6pm: concert at Jenkins Auditorium (77 Salem Street, Malden).
  • November 9- January 12, 2017 exhibition at MATV Gallery (145 Pleasant Street, Malden).
  • January 13, 2017: 12 noon-6pm pick up artwork at MATV Gallery.
  • January 14, 2017: 10 am – Noon: last day to pick up artwork at MATV Gallery.

This ambitious project will not only need exceptional artists, but also volunteers to make it a memorable success. A list of volunteer opportunities will be listed on the website. Please complete a contact form if you or someone you know is interested in any aspect of this endeavor. Thank you!


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