Underwritten by TTR | Sotheby's International
Realty, The Athenaeum Invitational celebrates the arts of Virginia,
Maryland, the District of Columbia and West Virginia in the Athenaeum Gallery
in Alexandria, VA. It is a theme-based event featuring the works of both
specially-invited artists who have exhibited in the Athenaeum Gallery in the
past, as well as works selected through a call for submissions open to anyone
living or working in Virginia, the District of Columbia, or Maryland. A $1500
prize for the best work will be awarded to an invited artist, and a $1000
prize will be awarded to an artist from the open call.
The show is juried by
Athenaeum Gallery Director, Twig Murray. Prize winners will be selected
by a noted art expert, who has yet to be determined.
Theme: Oh! The joy!
The theme asks artists to reflect on a moment of pure
joy. It is inspired by the Lewis and Clark expedition across the
unchartered North American continent to reach the Pacific Ocean. After an
arduous, two-year trek, William Lewis crested a hill, saw the vast body of
water and cried, “The Ocean in view. Oh! The joy!”
Entries might explore that singular burst of relief
and satisfaction after enduring a difficult task, or the magic of being struck
by something unexpected and delightful, or the sudden transformation that
is experienced in sheer ebullience. It is the ephemeral and evanescent
quality of a joyous moment we invite artists to respond to.
In fact, at the moment those words were uttered by
Lewis, the expedition was actually facing an estuary of the Columbia River, not
the open ocean. This presents another aspect of the theme for artists to
consider, whether a moment of joy is ‘valid’ when it is later learned that the
reason or impetus for the emotion was wrong or undeserved.
Selection Criteria
Works will be selected based on artistic excellence,
innovation, creativity, and a demonstrated relevance to the theme as revealed
in a brief artist statement.
The call is open now with a submission deadline of
August 28, 2016.
The Athenaeum Gallery
201 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314
703 548 0035
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