EOI Deadline: 11:59pm, Monday 30th May 2022.

EOI submission form can be found here. 

Call For Artists

Southern Forest Arts is seeking artists based in the Southern Forests and Valleys region* to participate in the Open Borders: Fluorescent Yellow // Electric Lime exhibition, running 4th December 2022 – 22nd January 2023 to be held at the Painted Tree gallery in Northcliffe.  

Exhibition Curator, Lisa Radomiljac, invites artists to respond to the exhibition concept by submitting an Expression of Interest (below). 

*The Southern Forests and Valleys region stretches from Balingup to Walpole, Nannup to Boyup Brook and encompases the Shires of Manjimup, Bridgetown-Greenbushes, Nannup, Boyup Brook and Donnybrook.

Background

‘Open Borders’ is a series of 12 group exhibitions and 3 original performances held across all 9 regions of WA during 2022-23. Each event reflects the unique interests, artists and experiences of the diverse participating communities (Kununurra, Broome, Port Hedland, Gascoyne Junction, Geraldton, Carnamah, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Ravensthorpe, Narrogin, Denmark, Northcliffe, Margaret River and Dwellingup).  Interconnected through the central theme of ‘Open Borders’, the project aims to culminate in a survey of contemporary regional art practice at John Curtin Gallery (Perth) in September-November 2023.

Further information about the Open Borders series is on the Southern Forest Arts website here. This includes the unifying curatorial brief written by Lead Curator, Annette Davis. Artists are urged to read this brief prior to submission of an EOI.

Curatorial Brief:

Fluorescent Yellow // Electric Lime 

What exists within the borders?

 When processing the world around us, the human brain is unable to treat every object as unique. The volumes of data that surround us must be simplified and structured so that we avoid cognitive overload. Categorisation comes naturally, allowing us to make sense by organising things, which assists us to communicate, predict, make decisions and navigate.

Colours are one of the first concepts taught to children, and with the idea comes a strict set of boundaries. This is red, that one’s yellow, look – there’s blue, black, white.  We allow these visual experiences to blend, further defining orange, green, purple, grey. As we grow and as our vocabulary expands, we can be more specific and further classify. Lilac. Turquoise. Navy.

ColorHexa, the online colour encyclopaedia defines the colour of tennis balls (#ccff00) as
“Fluorescent yellow or Electric lime”. Are we able to accept such a conflicting definition? Can tennis balls be both green and yellow at the same time? Where does one colour end and the next begin?

Things that have a foot in each camp make us feel discomfort. They create tension as they demand extra consideration before we’re able to accept them. These concepts remind us that our common vernacular is not nearly prescriptive enough, and that our lexicon needs to continually evolve.

This exhibition aims to explore ‘oddities’ or ‘anomalies’, concepts that do not fit within the borders of categories that we create, or our reactions to them – are we accepting or do we struggle?

Information For Artists

Artworks may be 2D (including but not limited to painting, prints, drawing, photography), or 3D (including but not limited to sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, woodwork, papercraft).

Due to limitations of wall space and plinth size, artworks smaller than 1.5m x 1.5m x 1.5m are encouraged.

Artists are invited to explore the idea of borders within their lives and that of their community. Research, investigation, consideration and discussion are encouraged in the development and refinement of ideas and the creation of work.

Applicants are encouraged to approach the EOI with works that are currently in development and/or artworks still being conceived. 

EOIs are accepted from artists and collaborators at all career levels.  Southern Forest Arts welcomes applicants from, and encourages collaborations with intergeneration, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations peoples, LGBTQIA+ practitioners and people with a lived experience of disability.  

The Painted Tree Gallery is located within the Northcliffe Information & Visitor Centre. Information about the gallery is available here. 

Southern Forest Arts holds the right to invite individual artists to create an artwork for the exhibition outside the EOI process, if required.

Artists must coordinate delivery of their artworks to and from the gallery.

Artists are responsible for insurance of their artwork during development, transit and throughout  the exhibition.

Evaluation Criteria

EOI’s will be assessed by the Artwork Selection Committee:

• Lisa Radomiljac (Curator)
• Fiona Sinclair (Artistic Director/General Manager of Southern Forest Arts)

Proposals will be evaluated according to: 

• Calibre of previous artwork
• Evidence of previous relevant experience
• Response to the Curatorial Brief
• Diversity of artforms in the exhibition overall
• Diversity of participating artists
• Diversity and originality of conceptual/artistic responses
• Availability of space to accommodate a range of artwork sizes

The Curator decision is final. While feedback may be provided upon request, the decision is non negotiable.

Indicative Timetable: 

Selection of artists will be based on an initial Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The process will be as follows:

• Mid May 2022 - EOI advertised 
• Monday 30th May (12:59pm) - EOI deadline 
• Early June - Artwork Selection 
• Early June - Shortlisted artists and unsuccessful artists notified of outcome.
• Late June - Shortlisted artists invited to attend gallery site visit and briefing sessions. Payment of Creative Development fee.
• July - November - Creative Development
• Mid-November - Deadline for image and information for digital catalogue.
• Monday 28 - Tuesday 29 November - Delivery of artwork to gallery
• Wednesday 30 November  - Saturday 3 December - exhibition installation
• Sunday 4 December - exhibition opening event 
• 22 January 2023 - Exhibition take down and artworks collected

Fees

• There is no cost to submit an EOI or participate in the exhibition.
• A nominal Creative Development Fee will be paid to selected artists to assist with travel costs associated with attending the initial briefing session and subsequent meetings and as a contribution towards artwork expenses. The fee is dependent upon the number of artists selected. Payment of the fee will be upon receipt of a Tax Invoice paid prior to June 30 2022.

Contact

Please contact Curator Lisa Radomiljac (lisaradomiljac@gmail.com) for more information.