DC Creates! Public Art Calls for Entry

Deadline: Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 7PM

All entries must be received by the deadline. This is not a postmark date.

Theme: District Identities Depictions of Washingtonian Life, Landscapes, and Cultural Legacies

The DC Arts Commission is seeking two and three-dimensional works including prints, drawings, mixed media compositions, paintings, photographs, ceramics, moveable sculptures, digital media, and video art. Special attention will be given to innovative and dynamic photography, to meet the strong demand for photographs amongst government agencies.

For assistance in preparing your application please attend the Workshop on Wednesday July 21st from 1-2PM and July 28th from 6-7:30PM at the DCCAH Office, 1371 Harvard Street, NW 20009. It is located 2 blocks south of the Columbia Heights Metro Station

Eligibility: This call is open to all artists who reside or maintain studio space in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. However, preference will be given to District residents.

Details here.

Wall Mountables return

The District of Columbia Arts Center (DCAC) has announced the return of 1460 Wall Mountables, DCAC’s annual open exhibition. On Wednesday, July 21 DCAC will open its doors at 3pm, beginning a three-day installation process during which artists can purchase up to four 2' x 2' spaces to hang their work.

Since the first Wall Mountables in 1990, the exhibition has become a celebrated summer tradition at DCAC. One of the center’s most important fundraising events, the open exhibition runs from July 23–August 29. On a personal note, I can tell you that since 1990 I've probably done this show 3-4 times, putting up all together about a dozen drawings in these shows and have always sold all of them.

Spaces sell on a first-come, first-serve basis. It’s not unusual to see returning participants lined up outside DCAC’s door by 2:30pm, patiently waiting for installation to begin with an eye towards grabbing the galleries prime wall space. All work is accepted from a wide range of media created by artists at various stages in their careers.

The exhibition provides a great opportunity for experimentation, as artists challenge themselves to make the most out of such limited space. The coveted $100 “Best Use of Space” prize is presented during the opening reception to the artist who makes the most innovative use of their 2’ x 2’ squares. Whether Wall Mountables is an artist’s first show, 59th show, or an opportunity to pull out canvases from their attic, 1460 Wall Mountables has spots ready to be filled.

General Guidelines
• Each 2' x 2' space is $15 for non-members (maximum 4 spaces)
• DCAC members receive one free space. Additional spaces are available for $10 each (maximum 4 spaces)
• Become a DCAC member at the event and receive four spaces for free! (regular membership starts at $30)
• Each piece must be 2' x 2' or smaller. Spaces may not be combined to accommodate larger pieces (larger pieces can be divided and placed in adjacent squares)
• All art must be wall mountable
• No painting or writing directly onto the wall
• No adhesive materials can be used for hanging (i.e.- spraymount, adhesive velcro, 2-sided tape or wallpaper glue)
• Artists must bring their own materials for hanging their work (hammer, nails, screws, wire)

District of Columbia Arts Center
2438 18th St. NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.462.7833

The original Che



Image by Terry Ward, who tells me that it's around 500 W 22nd St. in NYC.

Gallery week: Good idea for DC galleries?

Last month saw the debut of New York’s Gallery Week in which 50 Manhattan dealers organised a smorgasbord of events, from book signings to performances and special late openings (7-10 May, p81). The idea is not new: Berlin has a similar weekend, (30 April-2 May, p81), as has Zurich (12-13 June). In the more traditional fields, London has long boasted an Asian Art Week in the autumn (4-13 November), while both London and New York see master drawings dealers putting on grouped events (3-9 July in London; 22-29 January 2011 in New York).

Read the whole Art Newspaper article here.

Hirst the gallerist

Damien Hirst is bidding to launch his first gallery, in Hyde Park. He and architect Mike Rundell have submitted plans to the Royal Parks to create a gallery space from an old munitions store.

Read the story here.

Art Basel: Where are the women?

A list of the artists whose work you are most likely to see at this year’s Art Basel, based on the number of galleries who are bringing pieces, is headed—perhaps unsurprisingly—by the prolific Andy Warhol, with works on show at 28 stands. Artists making work in the first half of the 20th century rank highly, including Alexander Calder and Pablo Picasso, although the list is also speckled with 1960s conceptualists such as Sol LeWitt and Lawrence Weiner. But the top 40 most represented artists on show at the fair are all men

Read the Art Newspaper story here.

Wanna go to an opening tomorrow?

Remember when I stumbled upon Alexa Meade's fabulous work and pointed all of you to it?

Well.. she's been picked up by Irvine Contemporary and has a show opening tomorrow, Saturday, June 19, with reception from 6-8PM.

This is but the beginning for this artist. Keep an eye on her.