Call for Art – Call for Artist Nominations – Black Matter
Exhibition: Black Matter
Dates: April-May, 2021(Hopefully in person)
Location: The Arts Center, Corvallis, Oregon
Contact: tjwilson@artinoregon.org
The exhibition Black Matter showcases contemporary Oregon artists in an effort to address an imbalance in representation. Their voices should be heard, not because they are black, because they are human beings with unique life experiences. It is essential to lift up the contributions of black artists above systematic oppression in life and in art. Black artists should be recognized as individuals, without the filter of what the Western art canon tells us black art is or should be. The artists in this exhibition are all important black and African artists living and working here in Oregon. The artwork in this exhibition expresses more than their experience of living in a state and country rooted in systematic racism; their work speaks to the experience of being human.
We are seeking talented black and African artists currently living and making artwork in Oregon. Artists must be 18 years of age or older. We are looking for 2D and 3D artists with exceptional mastery of their chosen medium. All subject matter and ideas are welcome. There is no size limit on the artwork that will be considered. Installation art must be suitable for display in an open floor plan gallery space next to other artwork. Due to the current covid crisis, all artwork must be suitable to view in person or in a virtual exhibit. Artists selected to exhibit will receive a $500 stipend from the Art Center. Artists will be required to provide high quality images of all artwork accepted into the show. To apply for or to nominate an artist for this exhibition send an email with a link to your/their artist website. Artists may also send up to 5 images of your artwork with a brief artist statement about your current artwork. Artists can choose to include an artist CV and/or biography statement, but it is not required.
To apply or nominate send an email with the subject line: Black Matter
email: tjwilson@artinoregon.org
Quote: “It’s almost as if, in order to be a successful black artist, they must perpetually create art that speaks on black culture and racism. It’s not important for an artist’s race to be apparent just by looking at their work but, knowing that there are an increasing number of black artists being featured in museums and galleries is important. True progress will be achieved when work by black artists are collected based on the same criteria as their mainstream white counterparts instead of being judged as having an inherent racial bias. It is up to modern day art collectors, curators, and art historians to change the perspective.” ~Tania Inniss
About the curator:
Tammy Jo Wilson is a black artist and curator residing just south of Portland, Oregon in historic Oregon City. She creates artwork using a broad variety of media including encaustic, ink, ceramics, fabric, and oil paint. She received her BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and her MFA from San Jose State University. She has exhibited her work nationally and was awarded the Leland Ironworks Golden Spot Artist Residency in 2017, performed in the SALT: Above a Whisper at Shaking the Tree Theatre in 2018, and was featured in the two women exhibit Biological Dissonance at the Parrish Gallery in Newberg, Oregon in 2019. Wilson is co-founder and President of the arts organization Art in Oregon (AiO). A statewide non-profit working to foster culturally rich regional communities through partnerships, advocacy and investment in artists, businesses, educational spaces and community spaces. Wilson has taught college photography and 2D Foundations art classes. She co-curated the exhibit An Artistic Heritage in 2019, Art Makes History and You are Not a Robot in 2020. She currently works in the art department at Lewis & Clark College as the Visual Arts & Technology Program Manager. tammyjowilson.com
email: tjwilson@artinoregon.org