Call for Submissions

MCC’s 2009 Juried Exhibition – Craft: Culture/Counterculture

Application deadline: July 31, 2009

The Manitoba Crafts Council is continuing our tradition of hosting an annual juried exhibition to highlight the best of contemporary fine craft in Manitoba. Craft: Culture/Counterculture is the theme for our 2009 Juried Exhibition, reflecting the dual role that craft objects, materials and techniques can play: creating and affirming the everyday, and expressing something of our collective identity; and/or challenging cultural assumptions, expressing more personal, idiosyncratic visions of the world, and manifesting the creative shadow side of mainstream society.

Craft: Culture/Counterculture will represent approximately 20 artists from across Manitoba who push the boundaries of their media and reflect new approaches to diverse cultural and material traditions. Works will be chosen based upon artistic merit (technical skill, formal effect, and conceptual success), with a particular interest in pieces that reflect our exhibition’s theme by challenging pre-conceived notions of functionality, tradition and beauty, encompassing new technologies and/or reflecting a d-i-y craft ethic.

Exhibition dates:
Sept 17-29, 2009 at Outworks Gallery, Wpg
Oct 1-30, 2009 at Viscount Cultural Centre, Neepawa
Select works will tour rural and northern Manitoba,
November 2009-March 2010

Jurors:
Doug Melnyk, multimedia artist, Winnipeg
Marilyn Stewart Stothers, fibre artist, Winnipeg
Lin Xu, ceramic artist/assistant professor of visual arts, Brandon

Eligible works:
Works will be selected based on artistic merit, skill, design and innovation. Original work (functional, decorative, conceptual) in any craft-based media are welcome (e.g.ceramic, fibre, metal, paper, recycled material, stone, glass and wood). In addition, mixed media and interdisciplinary works that are primarily craft-based in material and/or technique are welcome. Works must be completed after January 2008. Three entries per person, maximum. Entrants must be current MB Crafts Council members.

Images:
The jurors will select work based on digital images with the final selection subject to viewing actual work. MCC urges applicants to consider using a professional photographer to document your work. Please submit images on a CD marked with your name. Use jpeg files with a resolution of 72 dpi, with images’ height or width (whichever is larger) close to 12 in., but not larger. For each work, submit one image with a full view of the work and one or two detail views. Please title each image file as follows: artist’s last name_title_full/detail (eg. Poirier_Moonscape_detail2) The maximum number of images allowed is nine (9). Discs will not be returned. If work is selected, artists will be contacted for high resolution (300 dpi) images to be used in print publications.

Application:
Please include the following information along with your CD of images:
· Your name, mailing address, phone number and email address
· Title of work, date, media, dimensions and price/value of each work submitted (3 works max.)
· An artist statement (100 words max.)

Applicants will be notified of results by August 21, 2009. Work selected will need to be available for photo documentation between August 14-24. Artist fees will be paid for works selected for the exhibition.

Applications, including images on CD, may be mailed (in protective mailer) or hand delivered during business hours (M-F, 9-5) to the Manitoba Crafts Council, c/o ACI (Arts & Cultural Industries Assoc of MB), 501–62 Albert Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 1E9.

Questions about the exhibition or MCC membership?
Contact us at 927-2787.