Community and Belonging

The world we live in today is fractured and disjointed. There is a rise of otherism. Cambridge dictionary defines othering as: to make a person or group of people seem different, or to consider them to be different. It is the home of Us versus Them, of greater than and less than, of human and dehumanized. It is where we create divisions based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, geography. 

 

Belonging as opposed to Othering.

How do we move away from othering? One approach is to encourage and foster belonging and community. We all have an innate desire to belong. To feel a part of the whole. To be an accepted member of our community for who we are without changing ourselves to be like others. To be our authentic selves. From Brené Brown's research: “I get to be me if I belong. I have to be like you to fit in.”

 

The practice of creating art with fibre is a metaphor for community and belonging. The fibres in our art pieces are interconnected just as people within a community. As fibre artists we have a lot to say about belonging and community. About separation and connectedness. 

 

This exhibition asks the questions

What does your ideal community look like? 

Who is part of it? Who is outside it? Who should be part of it? 

How do we reduce othering in our societies and increase belonging of everyone? 

 

Does belonging and community exist within your creative process? Do you collaborate or work individually? Does you have a story to tell about belongingness in your community? What are your thoughts about the impact of othering? Does the very art you create contain intertwined aspects that reflect our connectedness?

 

Tell us your stories through your art.

 

Sources for more details

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-othering-5084425

 

https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/17/dehumanizing-always-starts-with-language/

 

https://brenebrown.com/videos/the-quest-for-true-belonging-an-interview-with-chase-jarvis/

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Timeline

January 22   Submissions Open

April 3          Submissions Close

April 10        Artists will be notified

April 24        Deadline for physical artwork to be delivered.

May 1-28      Exhibition

 

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Submissions

Only one submission will be accepted from each artist or collaborative group of artists. Each submission can contain up to three artworks. 

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Works in all fibre art mediums are welcome including but not restricted to weaving, felting, macrame, knitting, rug hooking, spinning, braiding, needlework, crocheting, quilting, lace making, dyeing, papermaking or any combination of these. We are especially interested in wearable art and fine craft submissions but we will not be able to accept jewellery pieces. The gallery cannot accommodate suspended works but works hanging on walls, displayed on plinths or on mannequins can all be included. If you have any questions regarding if your practice or artwork fits within the exhibit boundaries, please contact us for clarification. 

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If you are a First Nations, Métis or Inuit artist or a member of any marginalized community we welcome and encourage you to submit an application as we are interested in sharing your stories relating to the theme of this exhibit. 

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The submission process will ask for a short statement for each artwork of how you see it relating to the theme of this exhibit. If your artwork is accepted, the statement will be displayed with your work so that guests of the exhibit can share in your vision.

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Works offered for sale will be subject to a 30% commission. The exhibit will be promoted leading up to the opening and during the exhibition to both the online and in-person audiences. 

 

Artwork Requirements

For 2D work,

• The finished/framed maximum size is 180cm tall by 150cm wide and,

• the weight limit is 20kg.

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For plinth-installed artworks, 

• The maximum width and depth are 40cm,

• the maximum height is 60cm and,

• the weight limit is 20kg

 

Submission Image Requirements

Submitted images must be as representative of the actual artwork as possible.

 

2D Submissions

• A photograph of the artwork must be formatted to 6” on the longest side at 300 DPI and submitted as a high quality JPG image.

• Diptych and other multiple-work 2D submissions must be submitted as a single image.

• For each piece of art, submit one image only. Note: If more than one image is submitted, only the first image will be considered.

• A primarily 2D work with significant relief elements may be submitted as a 3D work.

• The file size for the image must be between 1 MB and 5 MB.

• The name of the image must be as follows:

  • LastNameFirstName_Title.jpg

e.g. VanGoghVincent_StarryNight.jpg

• Size is in centimeters, specifying height x width.

• Size includes the artwork only, do not include framing.

• Prices are either in Canadian dollars (CAD) or “NFS” (not for sale).

 

3D Submissions

• Photographs of the artwork must be formatted to 6” on the longest side at 300 DPI and submitted as high quality JPG images.

• A primarily 2D work with significant relief elements may be submitted as a 3D work.

• For each piece of art, submit two images, view A and view B: Two views of the artwork from different angles must be submitted.

• The file size for each image must be between 1 MB and 5 MB.

• The names of the images must be as follows:

  • LastNameFirstName_Title_View_Size_Price.jpg

e.g. RodinAuguste_TheThinker_A.jpg

RodinAuguste_TheThinker_B.jpg

• View is either A or B.

• Size is in centimeters, specifying height x width x depth.

• Size includes the artwork only, do not include framing.

• Prices are either in Canadian dollars (CAD) or “NFS” (not for sale).

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