Call for Submissions

Human Rights and Equity Offices of Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario): Call to Visual Artists, Deadline August 31, Late Submission Deadline October 31

Human Rights and Equity Offices of Queen’s University (Kingston, Ontario

In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, the Human Rights and Equity Offices of Queen’s University is calling for artists, both professional and amateur, from all equity-seeking groups, to participate in a collaborative art project. Artists are asked to submit an original artwork depicting their interpretation of women’s strength and resilience in the wake of gender based harassment or violence. Accepted pieces will be incorporated into a large mosaic piece called “Woman, recreated” which will be exhibited at a show on Queen’s campus in 2013.

Project defined
A design, by award-winning Aboriginal artist Leo Yerxa, is the point of departure for this collaborative endeavor.
Leo’s design has been divided into sixty three fragments which will serve as the artist’s under painting. Artists are asked to choose one (or more) of the 63 fragments of the original painting (example, 9D or 4C) and use it as a background to an original artwork, in which they create their personal interpretation of the theme of women’s strength, resilience, spontaneity, creativity and diversity in the wake of gender-based harassment/violence. For an example of this kind of painting, please click here. http://www.muralmosaic.com/

Thematic Parameters
The Mosaic Project is a visual celebration of the strength of women survivors. It steps beyond the negative imagery of passivity, abuse, assault, harassment and fragmentation, all traditionally used to represent women in human rights campaigns. Our project insists upon the strength, resilience, spontaneity and creativity of women, who recreate themselves after “picking up the pieces” of oppression. It also speaks to the power of community in the process of healing. The Human Rights office reserves the right to select representations which portray positive imagery which reinforces the idea of strength, resilience, spontaneity and creativity while respecting the dignity of represented individuals or groups protected by the Code.

Formal Parameters
We do not set parameters on the media (oil, acrylic, pastel, ink, pencil, collage, quilting, stitching, etc…) or the style (figurative, writing, abstract, expressionist, cubist, graphic, etc…) used to create individual art work. We do, however, insist that artists use the background as a point of departure. The idea is that the new work of art can be easily incorporated into the original painting without changing its original colour scheme or formal design. Art work must be created on/mounted on a canvas panel measuring 1’ by 1’, which will be provided free of cost by the Human Rights and Equity Offices at Queen’s University.

Artistic Parameters
Each submission to the Mosaic Project will be evaluated for its technical proficiency and overall aesthetic value. We encourage all skill levels to submit and participate.

Selection Process

• All submissions will be evaluated using the above-mentioned formal, thematic and artistic parameters. 63 pieces will be chosen to be incorporated into the mosaic painting: Woman, recreated. Evaluation criteria include:
• Does the submission respect the formal parameters of the Mosaic Project?
• Does the submission respect the thematic parameters of the Mosaic Project?
• Does the submission demonstrate technical proficiency?
• Does the submission demonstrate overall aesthetic value?

Submission Process:
Artists are invited to email Meri Diamond diamondm@queensu.ca indicating which of the 63 fragments they wish to re-create. Artists may request multiple squares and can apply as a group.
Completed art work can be dropped at the Queen’s Equity Office at B513 Mackintosh-Corry Hall from 8:30 to 4:30. Artists that are unable to pick up a tile/send back their artwork in person are encouraged to write the equity office to discuss possible alternatives.

Deadlines to return completed panels:
- Early submission deadline: August 31, 2012
- Late submission deadline: October 31, 2012

Competition
At a reception held at Queen’s University in March 2013, twelve of the best pieces will be chosen by Leo Yerxa to be published in an online calendar used by Queen’s University to promote multi-faith awareness.

Workshop
If there is enough interest, Leo Yerxa will give a workshop in which artists can meet the artist, watch him work and work on their own contributions to the mosaic project