Propagation: Heaven & Earth VII
Call for Temporary Outdoor Artworks
The newly formed nonprofit Center for Environmental Art, in partnership with Carkeek Park Advisory Council and Seattle Parks and Recreation, invites proposals for placement of temporary outdoor artworks in Carkeek Park, an approximately 190 acre urban forest located in NW Seattle, from July 11, 2015 – October 10, 2015. The deadline to apply is May 2nd; a suggested $20 submission fee is requested to cover expenses related to the exhibition (especially maps and print media).
In keeping with the spirit of the site, the organizers seek work that reflects an ongoing recognition of the precarious nature of the environment with attention to the metaphor of propagation, which is often associated with the production of plants (sowing seeds, grafting, and other forms of reproduction, multiplication, dispersal, pollination, etc.) but which can also be freely translated to reference human means of dissemination (such as internet memes and other forms of media transmittal). The organizers encourage experimental , kinetic, or interactive works that explore a broad range of contemporary interpretations of art and nature, including performance, new media, landscape interventions, installations, sound art, biomimicry, ephemeral work, and other interdisciplinary perspectives. We are particularly hopeful of proposals to project video into the urban forest from a secured location at the Park’s headquarters.
While there are certain areas in the park that are more conducive to placement than others, artists may make their own suggestions, and images of previous sites can be studied at http://heavenandearthexhibition.org/sites/. The Call is open to all artists (whether established or emerging), local, regional, national, or international. All work should have a minimal impact on the park and eventually leave "no trace" following removal.
Between 12 – 15 artists and/or artist teams will be selected from the pool of applicants and offered an honorarium of $300 - $700 depending on the proposal. The submissions will be juried by a committee comprised of the curators working closely with Seattle Parks and Recreation and Carkeek Park Advisory Council. The Center for Environmental Art will also arrange for the production of a map and full color catalog of the exhibition, create a shared blog, and archive the work on www.heavenandearthexhibition.org.
Additional funding is available for artists in King County through a 4Culture individual Artist Projects grant, with a deadline of March 4, 2015 (several projects in 2013 and 2014 received significant additional funding through this program). Artists may also be eligible for a Seattle Arts & Culture smART ventures grant (no deadline; ongoing).
Carkeek Park visitorship during the display period is estimated at 100,000. In addition, hiking groups from Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Plein-Air Painters, and other organizations actively offer programming that centers on the art-hike. Generous funding for the exhibition is provided by Carkeek Park Advisory Council as well as vital in kind support from Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Associated Recreation Council.
Deadline for final entries by midnight Saturday, May 2, 2015. Please send a check for a suggested $20 submission fee made out to Center for Environmental Art to: Carkeek Park Advisory Council, 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd., Seattle WA 98177. Please indicate “Heaven and Earth VII” on the check. The submission fee can be waived with a simple request to the curators and/or a sliding scale of paying what you can is perfectly acceptable.
Artist will receive notification by May 22, 2015. A Participating Artists’ Orientation will take place at the Environmental Learning Center, 950 NW Carkeek Park Rd., on May 30, 2015, 1:30 – 3:30. Installation of the art will begin on July 5th and must be completed in time for a Private Show with the Artists on Friday, July 10. Opening reception will take place on Saturday July 11 at Carkeek's Environmental Learning Center (same address as above), 2-5pm.
Please send submissions to http://heavenandearthexhibition.org/submit/
Please contact the curators for additional questions. Participating artists will need to sign a W-9 to process payment, as well as sign a liability waiver recognizing the inherent risk of exhibiting unsecured art in a public setting and seeking permission to use any images for promotional purposes. We also encourage individuals to carry insurance.
View 2009 -- 2014 exhibitions at www.heavenandearthexhibition.org
David Francis and Thendara Kida-Gee, Co-Curators
Center for Environmental Art
davidtfrancis@hotmail.com
tk@vesicacreative.com