“Comfortable” is what one would say when describing their home or a place where they can relax and be themselves. But when you hear gallerists and visitors unanimously calling an art fair comfortable, you can’t help but wonder if something has gone very wrong—or perhaps, very right.

It was the most frequently heard descriptor on the fairground of Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK), a four-day fair in the iconic Japanese city that concluded on Monday. The third edition taking place at the Kyoto International Conference Center (ICC Kyoto) featured 64 galleries from 16 countries and 24 cities, where 33 of them were first-time exhibitors.

ACK may be small compared to its big international brethren that present hundreds of galleries, but it is perhaps the fair that features the biggest number of happy gallerists—even the usually serious ones appeared to be relaxed and beaming with excitement, greeting visitors with a wide grin while engaging in deep conversations with them.

Han Ishu, Knitting a Cornfield (2021) (top left hand corner) featured in Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) 2023 public program. Courtesy of ACK, photo by Moriya Yuki.

“When I visited the fair last year for the first time, I knew I wanted to be a part of this,” said Jonny Davies, director at Flowers Gallery in Hong Kong. “The boutique environment, the spirit of collaboration, and the conversation benefit both galleries and artists. It is a very different experience than traditional art fairs.”

Collector Shane Akeroyd, artist Theaster Gates, Delfina Foundation’s founding director Aaron Cesar were among the growing number of international visitors who added ACK to their itinerary this year, alongside a number of collectors and art world professionals from Taiwan, South Korea, and around the region.

What makes ACK stand out is its insistence on collaboration and its meticulous curation.

This edition’s theme is “Visions of a Torn World: Cirulation and Coexistence.” The fair’s main section, Gallery Collaborations, pairs a homegrown Japanese gallery acting as a host for its international peer. The pair applies to participate in the fair together, and if selected create a collaborative, curated presentation in their shared booth.

A total of 26 Japan-based galleries hosted 27 galleries from overseas. Flowers Gallery, for example, teamed up with Koki Arts in Tokyo to present a group show; Tokyo-based ShugoArts hosted TKG+ from Taipei; Blum in Tokyo hosted the Los Angeles-based Matthew Brown; Misako & Rosen in Tokyo teamed up with New York’s 47 Canal to present a solo booth of New York-based artist Trevor Shimizu’s new paintings.

Gennama by the Kyoto-based Ken + Julia Yonetani artists and organic farmers is a thought-provoking installation commenting on the true worth of labor, food, and the current economic system. The work was presented at ACK 2023’s public program. Photo: Vivienne Chow.

Some of the participating gallerists, both Japan-based and international, said they appreciate the collaboration model, as it facilitates working as partners and introducing one another’s artists and clients.

“The existence of a curatorial fair is key,” said Yukako Yamashita, ACK’s program director. “Japan’s art market is still not very big. At this phase, we just need to collaborate in order to make it bigger.”

The fair’s layout and booths were designed in a way to encourage visitors to embark on a journey of art discovery. Rather than seeing all the booth details down an aisle in a grid setting, the booths, made with recycled materials, were placed diagonally. The back of the booths created a visual barrier but at the same time functioned as a sort of palate cleanser for the eye, before fair-goers moved on to the next booth.

Yamashita sees ACK as an international fair organized by the local communities, a contrast to other fairs in the region. “We are keen on showcasing international galleries and artists, but what’s equally important is the respect to the local market and its uniqueness,” she said. “We care about the detailed communication with our galleries, and we appreciate their open-mindedness to this collaborative approach.”

This year’s ACK also featured 11 galleries presenting artists who have distinctive connections with Kyoto in the Kyoto Meetings section, which took over an extra hall at this year’s show. Berlin’s neugerriemschneider presented an elegant booth of Olafur Eliasson’s works inspired by Kyoto’s Zen Gardens. Kyoto-based Finch Arts showcased a group show of paintings and mechanical sculptures by three Japanese artists. The fair also presented a public program curated by Greg Dvorak featuring high-quality, thought-provoking large-scale installations.

Collaboration also extended to outside the fair, to the exhibitions and events taking place around the city of Kyoto. “The art fair is also hoped to function as a platform to cultivate the city,” Yamashita said. “ACK is not just a a place to buy and sell art.”

Art Collaboration Kyoto (ACK) 2023. Courtesy of ACK, photo by Moriya Yuki.

Another distinctive feature of ACK is the price point. The government-backed fair is heavily sponsored by the private sector, which helped keep booth fees comparatively low. One gallerist who has exhibited in many fairs across Asia and Europe over the past year said ACK was the most affordable to attend. The ease of financial pressure, especially amid the current global economic uncertainties and the weak Yen, in the case of Japan, allows galleries to take risks, presenting works by young artists selling at affordable prices.

ACK also obtained “bonded” status for the second time this year, allowing international exhibitors to be exempted from the 10 percent sales tax that would’ve otherwise been imposed on any work brought into Japan prior to a sale.

Most of the works at the fair had an asking price of under $100,000, although a handful were asking around $200,000.

Many galleries reported steady sales throughout the weekend.

SCAI the Bathhouse and Axel Vervoordt’s joint-booth sold a large-scale work by Bosco Sodi for more than $100,000 to a Japanese collector. Misako & Rosen and 47 Canal sold four paintings by Shimizu for a total of $200,000. neugerriemschneider sold a work by Eliasson to a Japanese collector. Kyoto’s Shibunkaku and Galerie Crèvecoeur sold several works by Fujita Tsuguharu for more than 18 million Yen ($119,000) in total.

New paintings by Harold Ancart featured in exhibition “Bird Time” at Ryosokuin Temple in Kyoto, coinciding with ACK’s opening. The show is presented by Contemporary Art Foundation, founded by Japanese collector and entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. Photo: Vivienne Chow.

Tokyo-based gallery Con_, which opened just a year and a half ago, teamed up with Peter Augustus from Dallas to present a group show of six Japanese artists. They sold works including the quirky mechanical sculptures by the 24-year-old Taiki Yokote at under $2,000.

Yoshiaki Inoue, director of Osaka’s Yoshiaki Inoue Gallery, which hosted Hong Kong’s Rossi & Rossi, said ACK’s format helps to introduce international galleries to Japan.

“Some art fairs in Japan are very domestic, and we hope to make it more international here,” said Inoue, a member of the fair’s selection committee. “It has been difficult for them to come especially the past few years because of Covid. This format and size fit Japan’s context.”

Inoue, a veteran gallerist, noted that Japanese collectors bought a lot of expensive Impressionist works in the past. After the economic bubble burst in the 1990s, people who endured the aftermath did not dare buy expensive artworks. But this could be changing, he said.

“We are seeing more younger collectors coming in, mostly buying contemporary works ranged between $1,000 and $10,000,” Inoue said. “But the prices are going up. [The young collectors] belong to a new generation that does not have the memory of the economic bubble.” Companies are also starting to collect contemporary artworks. “It’s nice for Japan to start again,” he said.

ACK is set to return to Kyoto from November 1 to 3, 2024.

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Enormous blooms crafted from thousands of sheets of creased, textured, and twisted paper explode in Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen’s vibrant installations. The Copenhagen-based artist (previously) draws inspiration from real blossoms like peonies or dahlias, adding fantastical, patterned embellishments to the pistils and stamens. The artist emphasizes larger-than-life sculptures, often creating painstakingly detailed displays that radiate from floor to ceiling.

If you’re in Copenhagen this winter, you can see Scott-Hansen’s Christmas installation at Illum department store. She is currently working with The Spaceless Gallery to make some of her pieces available for purchase and is collaborating with HAGD Contemporary to take the botanical theme a step further in a series of masks. You can explore more work on Instagram.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Monumental Paper Installations by Marianne Eriksen Scott-Hansen Bring Vibrant Flora Indoors appeared first on Colossal.

Visions Museum of Textile Art in Arts District Liberty Station has a new exhibition featuring international artists running now through Dec. 30.

“We are a passionate and diverse community in the heart of Liberty Station that celebrates the cultural significance and artistry of quilt and textile art,” said Forrest Wang, Visions marketing manager, who led a tour on Oct. 20 of the new exhibit titled “Interpretations 2023” in the museum. “Every two years we have this exhibit that features artists from all over the world. This year we received 377 entries representing 13 countries, of which only 37 pieces are shown here.”

Wang noted the textile art on display was “carefully selected” by a trio of three jurists – Susan T. Avila, Dolores Miller, and Jason Pollen – chosen by Visions Museum.

The three jurists on the museum’s website discussed the criteria they used in making their selections. “I looked for pieces that made sense as textiles,” said Avila. “I wanted the textile connection to be clear and logical, with images that allowed me to see and understand not only what the piece looked like, but how it was made.”

“The broad range and high quality of the work meant that difficult choices had to be made,” noted Miller. “But what an opportunity it was to explore and affirm what ‘best work’ means to me: visually impactful and engaging, well executed, created with an original voice that uses fiber/textiles as its unique artistic medium, rather than an imitation of another art form.”

“Looking at, and having to choose from, several hundred images of the works of dedicated quilt artists was both a joy and a daunting challenge,” said Pollen. “What I always look for is how each layer, each color, thread, stitch, line, shape, feel essential to the success of the completed piece. What we always look for is superb craft of course, but more importantly, a fresh and inventive approach to this age-old discipline.”

In describing the 37 displayed textile art pieces, Wang noted some of them were “woven, stitched and hand stitched” while adding, “There are a variety of techniques that the artists use.”

Wang praised the textile museum’s 30-plus volunteers whom he described as “a very dedicated group of professional, amateur and casual people who just appreciate the art.”

One volunteer, Betty Colburn, who makes fiber art herself, was greeting guests at the museum’s front desk on a Friday afternoon. She said her job is “fun,” while adding, “I am one of many.” Asked about her role, she answered: “I greet people coming in explaining to them what the museum is about. I talk with them about what their reactions are to what they see, and wish them a good day.”

Carrie Frederick, a Visions Museum of Textile Art board member, noted the museum gets “a lot of tourists and people who just walk by and happen upon us.” She added the museum board’s function is to “help set the strategic direction for the organization and provide legally mandated things, like financial oversight.”

Frederick pointed out textile art is unique “because we all grow up surrounded by textiles, so people can relate to that. We also have a lot of artists who are looking for what medium they want to use. And they find that textiles are so versatile – and so relatable.”

The mission of Visions Museum of Textile Art is to create an international community of quilt and textile artists, collectors, and the public through exhibitions, education, and engaging programs that increase the appreciation of quilts, textiles, and fiber as fine art.

Visions Museum of Textile Art began as Quilt San Diego, a non-profit arts organization founded in 1985 to promote contemporary quilt making as fine art. The organization’s mission was to present the prestigious, international, juried Quilt Visions biennial which was hosted at various museums in the San Diego area. In 2007, volunteers organized a community build and created a permanent location in the Arts District at Liberty Station.

Visions Museum of Textile Art now features 20 exhibitions per year including online exhibitions, Member Challenges, and the “Quilt Visions” and “Interpretations” biennials. The museum presents lectures and workshops by noted quilt and textile artists. The museum also has a gift shop with strictly handmade items, most from local contributors.

VISIONS MUSEUM OF TEXTILE ART

Where: Arts District Liberty Station, 2825 Dewey Rd #100.

Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Closed Sundays through Tuesdays.

Info: visionsartmuseum.org, 619-546-4872.

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) – The Amarillo Museum of Art Alliance’s 43rd annual Christmas Roundup: A Holiday Market returns this weekend.

From Friday through Sunday, about 135 merchants will set up pop-up shops in the Amarillo Civic Center’s North and South Exhibit Halls to let people get a head start on holiday shopping.

On Friday, shopping hours will be from noon until 8:00 p.m. Christmas in the Quarter will feature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, merchant discounts and door prizes from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. During the Art in Action event from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., artists will create artwork available for auction.

Shopping hours on Saturday will be from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., with pictures and crafts with Santa taking place from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

For Sunday, shopping hours will be from 11:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The silent auction will close at 2:00 p.m.

According to a press release, proceeds from the Christmas Roundup will help fund many educational programs that the Amarillo Museum of Art offers the community.

“This is an exciting year for Christmas Roundup. With two full halls of vendors, we are sure this community holiday tradition will bring something for everyone,” said 20230 co-chairs Kelly Huckabay and Genie Robison. “Christmas Roundup is the prime holiday market for our area and with the community’s support, we are able to provide funding for the many educational programs of the Amarillo Museum of Art.”

Weekend tickets for the event are $10. Admission for children 12 and under is free.

For more information on the merchants and schedule, visit the Amarillo Museum of Art website.

Copyright 2023 KFDA. All rights reserved.

This upcoming weekend, the art community of Spokane is getting together for the 33 Artists Market. 

It is a two-day art show hosted at the Hive from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 4, and at the Wonder Building from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 5, featuring local Spokane artists.  

This will be the fourth and fifth volumes of this event, and shoppers can expect a small, curated market with easy access to the artists and their work. 

Because the first show on Saturday is at a smaller location, it will feature 13 past, present and future resident artists of the Hive, while the second show on Sunday will be bigger. 

Gwyn Pevonka, the woman who brought the 33 Artists Market to Spokane, said that she wanted to create a market that was different from other art shows.

“I wanted this market to be community focused,” Pevonka said, “ We’re all helping each other load in, it’s friendly, kind and still fast-paced.”

Pevonka said that she felt there was a lack of fine art markets in the area, and created this market to help remedy that. There will be a combination of fine art and traditional craft, with different kinds of mediums like painting, drawing, pottery and woodworking. 

The market is grassroots and focused on creating intentional relationships within the community. Pevonka said that there was a disconnect between the community and artists in the area, and she wanted to give artists another space to make money doing what they love. 

“My artists are not just numbers on a roster,” Pevonka said. 

Pevonka said that she tries to create a blend of artists, but it’s difficult to choose which artists to include for the event. She had over 150 artists apply to this market, and that number is only getting bigger. Intentionality is a huge part of how the market operates, and she said that she wanted to create a market that wasn’t overwhelming for shoppers or the artists. 

The 33 Artists Market is also known for creating a more intimate relationship between consumers and the artists. For Keith Harrop, a local artist known for his pencil-drawn depictions of animals in Victorian garb, the market is a valuable opportunity to get his art into people’s homes.

“Everybody that walks in there sees you and sees your art,” Harrop said. 

Harrop said that the artists appreciate an event like this because there is more of a feeling of connection between the buyers, and that they are more successful with their commissions. 

Not only that, but the event is incredibly accessible. 

“You can walk down the galleyway between the booths, and you don’t have to enter the booths, and you can see everything very clearly,” Harrop said. 

He continued to say that the market is an eclectic sampling of the art within the area. Although the art community took a hit during the pandemic, the crowds seem to be getting bigger with every event. 

Pevonka described herself as a dreamer, and she said she is optimistic about this particular project and its future. Shoppers can witness this event getting bigger this upcoming weekend, as the event gets split into two buildings over two different days.

“The Hive is where we started, and the Wonder building is where we’re going.” Pevonka said. 

She also has plans for next year’s shows as well. 

“We’re only going to get bigger, and for 2024, I expect over three shows a year,” Pevonka said. “I see a need, and I want to fill it with the 33 Artists Market.”

Shoppers can connect with the market on Instagram @33artistsmarket, and access their website at 33artistsmarket.com. 

It’s estimated that people around the world will take a whopping 1.6 trillion photographs this year. With lenses built in to our digital devices, a quick snap has never been easier. In the second half of the 19th century, though, before film was even invented, taking a picture required technical skill and access to expensive equipment and supplies. Some of the earliest large- and medium-format cameras used delicate glass plates to capture black-and-white portraits and landscapes in fine detail.

In 2019, Terri Carpucci, a photographer and preservationist based in Massachusetts, stumbled upon a veritable treasure trove. A collection of 4,000 glass plates spanning the 1860s to the 1930s had been destined for the trash before Carpucci, who has experience shooting wet plates and tintypes, noticed the negatives’ high quality. She also recognized a few Massachusetts landmarks and knew she held abundance of local history in her hands.

Carpucci set out on the long and painstaking process of preserving the slides, consulting with conservation experts and enrolling in a course that taught the fundamentals of cleaning and archiving the fragile pieces. “I would clean them individually only on the glass side; I wouldn’t touch the emulsion side,” she told PetaPixel. “Definitely don’t clean them with Windex or anything you would use to clean windows, just distilled water.” Carpucci digitized each slide using scanning guidelines provided by the National Archives, then slipped each one into an acid-free envelope for storage.

The University of Massachusetts Archives in Amherst recently acquired the collection, and Carpucci shares insights into individual photos on the website Somebody Photographed This and Facebook. You can also check out her YouTube channel.

And if you can’t get enough of the discovery old photos, you might also enjoy exploring the Museum of Lost Memories.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article A Photo Preservationist Saved a Trove of 4,000 Glass Plate Negatives That Nearly Went Into the Trash appeared first on Colossal.

ENCAMPMENT — The many roads of life, whether winding or straight, rocky or smooth, have a way of bringing people back around to their starting block. All roads may not lead to Rome, but they might lead to Wyoming. 

Some decades in the misty past, three girls grew up and went to school together in Wheatland: playing the same sports, attending the same churches (sometimes), and sharing the same classes. Upon graduation, the year 2023 was merely fodder for science fiction. Off they go into their various horizons. 

As many have found during life’s diverse adventures; successes and failures, joys and sorrows; that things have a way of returning. Coming full circle. And those childhood-school bonds also come full circle and we find that our shared history has created enduring relationships and influences. Three seemingly random women, all creative in different ways, found their way to the annual Aspen & Sage Market Days in Encampment, WY this October.

Ruth Moyte, owner of the newly-launched leisure-wear brand, Mustard Seed Faithwear; Sandra Utter, owner of Quarter Circle Creations; and myself, owner of Steph Bayne Photography & Paint were all vendors at the Aspen & Sage Market. Steph Bayne Photography & Paint was the first to participate in the market in 2022 accompanied by Moyte, (though not a vendor) the first year. As time and connection and conversation would have it, all three women were poised to travel to Encampment as vendors; Moyte and Utter for the first time in October of 2023. 

Sandra Utter, Wheatland native, had this to say about her lovingly crafted items, “I love to repurpose things and have always liked western boots and what they represent in terms of a tool-of-the-trade and some are true art in the beauty of the tops.  When I find a picture frame or mirror with a wide frame, it works well to cover all or part of the frame with boot tops.  I’ve salvaged tops from used boots I find at thrift stores or get from friends when the bottoms are worn out.  Each time I finish a piece, I’ve learned something new or a better way of attaching the leather to the wood.  I hope to get my name out there to start making Memorial Boot Frame Mirrors.  I’d love to take boots that a loved-one wore that has passed on and frame a mirror or picture frame with those boots.  If those boots could talk…” Even though Utter is new to the market and fair trade, she had no trouble fitting in with a wide range of artisans, crafters, designers, and builders at the Aspen & Sage Market. 

“The Aspen and Sage Market in Encampment was my first trade show and was a great place to learn from other vendors on setting-up and a price point for product.  All vendors there had one-of-a-kind items that were handmade or items they created.  I also took some quilts to the market made from old lightweight jeans that my Mom, Sharon Utter, made,” explained Utter. “I call my designs and work, Quarter Circle Creations and use the brand my Great Aunt, Glyda May, gave me and use it as a logo on the pieces.  Aunt Glyda didn’t have fancy topped boots, but she wore out several pairs during her years ranching with Woody, her husband, and helping friends and neighbors work cattle.  I think she would approve of the repurposing because she came from a generation that didn’t waste anything,” concluded Utter.

Moyte, who has spent her career in the high profile international event industry in the Los Angeles area, moved back to Wheatland about five years ago to tend to family matters. She brought her expertise as a writer and designer with her. “As I flash back to elementary school days, I never thought about the possibility that decades later, I would be spending the weekend with some of my oldest childhood friends. On top of that, I never thought that we’d all be attending Aspen & Sage Market Days in Encampment, Wyoming chasing after our entrepreneurial desires,” said Moyte. “Yet, there we all were gathered around an oak barrel table at the Mangy Moose munching on hamburgers and corn dogs discussing life, business, and our creative dreams. I enjoyed every single moment of the weekend, and I’m so proud of who we’ve become as women. Wheatland has a knack for turning out talented, strong, smart, women. I count Sandra Utter and Stephanie Bayne as two that I’m blessed to know.”

Time rolls forward, as it has a way of doing, and Moyte’s early, but as-of-yet unfulfilled dreams of creating a clothing line is now starting to bloom. 

“Mustard Seed Faithwear was born out of a vision to combine fashion with inspiration, creating a brand that uplifts and empowers individuals. In a world where fashion trends come and go, there is a growing desire for clothing that not only makes a statement but also carries a deeper meaning. Inspired by the powerful scripture of Matthew 17:20, Mustard Seed Faithwear not only reflects personal style but also serves as a reminder of the strength and potential that lies within everyone, and the faith that is needed as we journey through life. The symbolism used in Mustard Seed Faithwear is carefully chosen to represent the essence of faith. The mustard seed, depicted in various forms – and always reaching back to positive messaging, serves as a powerful reminder of the potential for growth and greatness that lies within each individual,” Moyte explained. The essence of the scripture is that nothing will be impossible for you when your faith is active.  Moyte added, “Each style in the Mustard Seed Faithwear collection is designed with meticulous attention to detail, ensuring that each garment selected not only meets the highest standards of quality butalso serves as a reminder of the power of faith. Being able to stand side-by-side with my friends as they pursue their dreams is one of the most inspiring things that I’ve ever experienced. I’m so grateful that we’ve found each other and are able to share our journeys with each other.”

As for myself, I have been painting and drawing on paper, furniture, stationery, people’s walls, found objects and anything that lends itself to a paintable surface since I was about four years old when I confidently scribbled drawings of fantastical people along my dad’s drywall when he was finishing the basement of the first house I remember living in. He didn’t stop me then, or now.  I added photography in 2012 and it is a satisfying creative outlet. Art is that deep expression of experience or feeling that is sometimes lost in the surfeit of words. I am very happy and blessed to be able to occasionally showcase my art, not only for myself, but for others. I know it makes me happy; but if it brings happiness, or nostalgia or some other feeling to another person; the joy is manifold.  Sharing the quite vulnerable experience of offering our creations to the general public at Aspen & Sage Market Days, or any other venue with these treasured, talented, bright friends is something that doubles the pleasure. There is something very comforting and stabilizing about shared history. 

Don’t miss the Wheatland Town & Country Garden Club’s Holiday Bazaar on November 5 at the Agriplex. There you will find dozens of local and area creators. And you might come full circle and meet an old friend. 

Every month, Colossal shares a selection of opportunities for artists and designers, including open calls, grants, fellowships, and residencies. If you’d like to list an opportunity here, please get in touch at hello@colossal.art. You can also join our monthly Opportunities Newsletter.

$3,500 Artist Grants | The Hopper PrizeFeatured
The Hopper Prize offers two awards of $3,500 and four of $1,000. Submissions will be juried by Laura Phipps, Assistant Curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art, and Rachel Winter, Assistant Curator of the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum. Thirty artists will be selected for a shortlist. This is an international open call, and all visual media is eligible.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PST on November 14, 2023.

On::View Artist ResidencyFeatured
Located in the heart of Savannah’s Starland District, this one-month residency provides a free, high-visibility studio for an artist to complete a new or existing project or to research conceptual, material, performative, and social practices. The program is open to artists from around the world working in any medium and includes an exhibition opportunity.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on December 1, 2023.

2024 NOT REAL ART Grant for ArtistsFeatured
Six visual artists based in the U.S. and working in any 2D or 3D medium will win a no-strings-attached cash award of $2,000, plus PR and marketing support. There’s no application fee.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. PT on January 1, 2024.

Open Calls

Beam Center NYC Open Call (International)
The center seeks proposals for public artworks that will be realized by a community of more than 100 young people in NYC. Artists receive a $5,000 award and a $15,000 fabrication budget.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on November 6, 2023.

The 10th International Landscape Photographer of the Year (International)
This contest awards winners $10,000 in cash prizes, inclusion in a photo book, and NiSi filter outfits and tripods. Entry is free until November 8.
Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Third Annual Festival Dei Lumi Open Call (International)
Video artists working on pieces that explore the intersection of art, nature, and ecological thinking are encouraged to submit to this annual festival. There is a €10 submission fee.
Deadline: November 22, 2023. 

Arte Laguna Prize  (International)
The 18th annual Arte Laguna Prize is open to artists working across disciplines who want to exhibit their work in Venice. There is a €149 application fee.
Deadline: November 22, 2023.

Locust Projects Project Room Open Call  (International)
Artists are invited to submit proposals for installations that haven’t been previously exhibited to be shown at the new Locust space in Miami. Successful applicants will receive a $5,000 project budget, a $3,100 artist fee, and aid for travel and accommodations.
Deadline: November 30, 2023.

BLINK Cincinnati Call for Artists  (International)
BLINK, Illuminated by ArtsWave, is calling for artists working in light-based experiential installation, murals, projection mapping, digital art, or animation to submit proposals. BLINK plans to commission 12 to 15 new murals, 30 to 40 temporary lighted installations, and 30 to 35 projection/digital animation installations.
Deadline: December 15, 2023.

Prisma Art Prize (International)
Open to emerging painters and artists, this quarterly competition awards €2,000 in cash and €3,000 in services annually, plus exhibition opportunities. There is a €29 submission fee.
Deadline: January 11, 2024.

Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition 2025 (United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands)
This portrait competition is open to all media, including painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, printmaking, textiles, video, performance art, and digital or time-based art. One winner will receive $25,000 and a commission to portray a remarkable living American for the National Portrait Gallery’s collection. Other prizes range from $1,000 to $10,000, and all finalists will be included in an exhibition. There is a $50 entry fee.
Deadline: Midnight MT on January 26, 2024.

Sony Future Filmmaker Awards (International)
The Sony Future Filmmaker Awards elevates voices that bring a fresh perspective to storytelling. The shortlisted filmmakers are flown to Los Angeles for an exclusive four-day event to gain unparalleled insight into all aspects of the filmmaking process to advance their careers.
Deadline: February 15, 2024.

Grants

California Documentary Project Grants (California)
This grant supports documentary film, audio, and digital media projects about California. Funding is available for research and development (up to $15,000), production (up to $50,000), and in DP NextGen Grants (up to $15,000).
Deadline: November 1, 2023.

National Sculpture Society Stanley Bleifeld Memorial Grant (U.S.)
This annual $5,000 prize is awarded to one sculptor working in the round and in bas-relief who has been inspired by nature.
Deadline: November 6, 2023.

Rathaus Film Grant (Detroit)
This $10,000 grant supports the development, production, or installation of a film or video art project. Artists should plan to complete the proposed project within one year of receiving the award.
Deadline: 12 p.m. ET on November 10, 2023.

Eugenie Designer Grant (Detroit)
This $10,000 grant supports Detroit-based fashion designers prioritizing sustainable practices. Applications should include a proposed project to be completed within one year of receiving the award.
Deadline: November 10, 2023.

The David Prize (New York)
Five New Yorkers will receive $200,000 awards for projects that help their home city. Projects can vary in topic and field and include art and culture, workforce and economic development, civic engagement, environment and sustainability, immigrant rights, food and nutrition, and more.
Deadline: November 13, 2023.

Women’s Studio Workshop Grants  (U.S.)
Women’s Studio Workshop has several funding opportunities open to artists working in bookmaking, printmaking, and other paper-based mediums.
Deadline: November 15, 2023.

Nordic PhotoBook Award  (Norway)
Photographers with a cohesive body of work interested in publishing a book are invited to apply for this Kr 200,000 award to support the production, distribution, and promotion of the work.
Deadline: January 1, 2024.

The Adolf and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant  (International)
The Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Emergency Grant program provides one-time interim financial assistance to qualified painters, printmakers, and sculptors whose needs are the result of an unforeseen catastrophic incident and who lack the resources to meet that situation. Awardees typically receive $5,000, up to $15,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

Adobe Creative Residency Community Fund (Ukraine)
Adobe’s Creative Residency Community Fund commissions visual artists to create company projects on a rolling basis. Awardees will receive between $500 and $5,000.
Deadline: Rolling.

Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant (International)
The foundation welcomes applications from actively exhibiting visual artists who are painters, sculptors, and artists who work on paper, including printmakers. Grants are intended for one year and range up to $50,000. The individual circumstances of the artist determine the size of the grant, and professional exhibition history is taken into consideration.
Deadline: Rolling.

Residencies, Fellowships, & More

A.I.R. Fellowship Program (New York)
Six underrepresented and emerging women and non-binary artists will be awarded a year-long fellowship to develop and exhibit a project at A.I.R. Gallery. Selected applicants receive a stipend, access to gallery space, and support.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on November 1, 2023.

Squeaky Wheel Workspace Residency (U.S.)
This residency supports filmmakers, writers, critics, curators, artists, and other practitioners working in media arts. Residents receive a $1,200 stipend, $400 in travel, accommodations, studio space, and an optional $900 financial assistance for disability or childcare.
Deadline: November 3, 2023.

MASS MoCA’s Artist Residency Program (International)
Applications are open for MASS MoCA’s residencies for artists, writers, and performers in the second half of 2024. Fully funded scholarships are available, and residents receive studio space and housing.
Deadline: 11 p.m. on November 8, 2023.

Artspace Pathways: A Native Space Initiative (Select U.S. states)
This program supports Native American arts and cultural organizations through a one-year virtual cohort. The goal is to assist organizations in professional development and finding physical spaces to work.
Deadline: November 10, 2023.

The Goethe-Institut Boston Studio 170 Residencies (New England)
This two-week residency program is open to projects of all types, including installations/exhibitions, performances/actions, artist talks, panel discussions, author readings, film screenings, digital projects, and more. Successful applicants are given access to several indoor and outdoor spaces, along with a $1,000 stipend and a $1,000 project budget.
Deadline: November 17, 2023.

Quinn Emanuel London Artist in Residence (London)
Emerging and mid-career artists working in all disciplines are eligible for this residency from January to May 2024. One chosen applicant will receive a £12,000 stipend, £1,000 material budget, and studio space.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. GMT on November 19, 2023.

SmackMellon Artist Studio Program (New York City)
Six emerging or early career artists working in all visual arts mediums will be awarded private studio space.
Deadline: November 20, 2023.

2024 Bernheim Artist in Residence (International)
This program focuses on multi-disciplinary explorations of our relationship with nature. Two residencies are available: the regional program for local artists and another for artists working with the climate crisis. Both offer a $2,500 stipend, living and studio spaces, and research opportunities.
Deadline: Midnight ET on November 27, 2023.

Foundation House Artist Residency Program (International)
Six residents receive a $500 stipend, a private bedroom and bathroom, meals, and studio space. The residency will run from January 26 to February 4, 2024.
Deadline: 11:59 p.m. ET on December 3, 2023.

Arts/Industry at John Michael Kohler Arts Center (International)
Open to all disciplines, this program selects twelve artists each year for three-month pottery and foundry residencies. No experience with clay or cast metal is required, just an interest in pursuing a new body of work and being open to new ideas. Residents receive a $160 weekly stipend, studio space, housing, transportation, industrial materials, equipment, and more.
Deadline: February 1, 2024.

Hunter Moon Homestead Artist Residency (International)
Artists and arts educators working across disciplines are invited to apply to this program in Palouse. Residents receive one- to three-week stays, with lodging and studio space included.
Deadline: Rolling.

Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article November 2023 Opportunities: Open Calls, Residencies, and Grants for Artists appeared first on Colossal.

 
What do art fairs, fashion shows and motor shows all have in common? Their works need to be shipped and stored properly before and after the event, in a place that knows how to deal with invaluable goods.
 
Despite a fast-growing art market and the already proliferating manufacturing industry, Korea lacks a large-scale storage space designed specifically for artworks and luxury goods that need special facilities to ensure that they are preserved in the most optimum state.
 
Not only does the moisture level need to be kept to a minimum, the oxygen level must also be kept low so as to rule out any possibility of a fire, along with anti-earthquake infrastructure and security against theft.
 
There are currently only two major art storage houses in Korea — one owned by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and another by the National Museum of Korea — and auction houses’ spaces are very limited, making it difficult for private collectors or companies to store their large quantities of goods in the safest hands.
 
That’s where Arshexa comes in. The company was founded in July 2015 with one grand goal: to build Asia’s largest storage house within the grounds of the Incheon International Airport.
 

A rendered image of Arshexa’s art storage house, tentatively named AH Freeport, scheduled for completion by 2026 [ARSHEXA]

 
The Freeport project
 
Tentatively dubbed the AH Freeport, a consortium led by Arshexa signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Incheon International Airport Corporation in August 2022 in which the airport lends 43,669 square meters (470,049 square feet) of its land to Arshexa and the latter runs the storage house for 30 years after completing construction in 2026.
 
It will break ground in April next year. A total investment of 379.5 billion won ($283.3 million) will be poured in, and the goal is to start operations by the first half of 2026. It will be a five-story building with a total surface area of 96,347 square meters — the largest in the world.
 
Eight more companies have joined forces for the consortium: strategic investors Bisunjae Gallery, Sonid, Shinsung Safes, Tongyang and Shinwa Wise Holdings; asset management company Mastern Investment Management; financial investor Eugene Investment; and construction investor Dongbu Corporation. More companies may join later, according to Arshexa.
 
Arshexa has also signed a consulting deal with High Security Hub, a storage facility in Luxembourg Findel Airport, also known as Luxembourg Freeport. The term Freeport refers to a zone designated by the government that pays little or no tax with the aim of encouraging economic transactions.
 
Korea already has a relatively low tax rate when it comes to dealing with artworks, but a deduction never hurts.
 
The tariff on artworks is already 0 percent, and artworks made by living domestic artists or works priced less than 60 million won are not subject to any tax. A 22 percent transfer tax would need to be paid otherwise, but the 22 percent is not of the whole price because up to 90 percent can be deducted as the cost of acquisition.
 

A rendered image of Arshexa’s art storage house, tentatively named AH Freeport, scheduled for completion by 2026 [ARSHEXA]

A rendered image of a viewing room within Arshexa’s art storage house, tentatively named AH Freeport, scheduled for completion by 2026 [ARSHEXA]

 
More than just storage
 
The idea of a large warehouse may not sound fancy to the average laymen, but its very existence may be just the ticket that the Korean art and manufacturing market needs to give it a major boost globally, says Arshexa CEO Song Moon-suk.
 
While working in Paris for his personal business seven years ago, Song came to the realization that the reason the Korean art market wasn’t on par with the country’s economic growth was due to a lack of infrastructure for global art dealers and collectors.
 
The Korean art market surpassed 1 trillion won in sales volume for the first time last year, but that’s still less than 1 percent of the global art market and only one-20th of the Korean game market.
 
“Time, experience and investments are crucial for our art market to match our economy, which may take tens of years,” Song told the Korea JoongAng Daily.
 

Song Moon-suk, CEO of Arshexa at right, and Lee Mi-a, the president of Arshexa Europe branch, during the Paris+ par Art Basel art fair held in Paris, France [ARSHEXA]

 
“What we aim to do is give a place for global art industry players to use and come together and where domestic market players may also come and grow together. Art needs infrastructure, just as any real industry does, and I thought that a large-scale storage space for valuable artworks is essential. The Freeport model came to my attention, and I became certain that the Incheon International Airport was the place.”
 
Korea is already working toward trying to replace Hong Kong as Asia’s go-to art hub, in tandem with the geopolitical turbulence that surrounds the autonomous city. The Korean art market grew by 37.2 percent in 2022 compared to the previous year, and that did not even include the sales that came from Frieze Seoul, which was held for the first time last year.
 
Adding to that is the fact that the Incheon International Airport became the world’s first airport to achieve the highest level of Airport Customer Experience accreditation by the Airports Council International (ACI) in September last year.
 
“It was evident during the Seoul Frieze events that there isn’t a place where collectors can feel absolutely safe in storing their goods when they’re in Korea,” Song said.
 
“If experts come for either exhibitions or auctions but continue to have trouble finding a proper storage place, then Korean art can only inevitably develop at a slower pace. Just as any industry starts with infrastructure and logistics, we started with the very basics for an art hub — storage.” 
 

A picture of the Paris+ par Art Basel art fair on Oct. 18, where Arshexa participated as a host partner of the event [ARSHEXA]

Asia’s new leader
 
The timing is more than right for Korea to aim to become Asia’s new art leader, the CEO stressed.
 
Currently the largest storage house in Singapore, the Le Freeport, situated next to the Changi International Airport, has reached up to 86 percent of its full capacity, according to Song, while the uncertainties facing Hong Kong will likely continue to linger for years to come. Unpredictable politics in China and the frequent earthquakes in Japan make investors weary, meaning Korea may be the perfect contender in the Asian race.
 
Arshexa recently seized the opportunity during the Paris+ par Art Basel held in the French capital city earlier this month to promote its project as the only Korean host partner of the art fair. The company met with officials from major groups in the country such as LVMH, LBG, BPCE, Groupe Dassault and Christie’s, according to the Arshexa CEO.
 
“The art fair was a chance for us to officially announce the art storage project to the European market, which we had only done with separate entities in the past,” Song said.
 
“Some people had questioned whether an art storage house would ever be built in Korea, but we were able to tackle such concerns one by one. The latest Art Basel was a chance for us to show that a Korean storage company can become a partner of such a major event, something that even European companies could not do before.”
 

A promotional booth for Arshexa is set up within the Paris+ par Art Basel art fair on Oct. 18. The company participated as a host partner of the Parisian Art Basel. [ARSHEXA]

 
Over 50 percent of the AH Freeport storage space has been pre-booked by potential customers as of September, even before the construction has begun, according to Arshexa. The target is to reserve 80 percent of the space by the time the house is built.
 
The ultimate goal isn’t to suddenly become the No. 1 art market in the world, but to provide a place for people from the top countries to come and start their works, according to Song. Along with the Paradise City hotel and resort complex and the soon-to-open Inspire Entertainment Resort, Incheon strives to become a vibrant city of art and entertainment that includes cultural experiences in all genres.
 
“A Freeport art storage house is crucial in taking the Korean art market to the global stage,” Song said. “Storage and preservation is of utmost priority for foreign museums and galleries, so providing a facility that knows how to do that properly will make Korea a much more attractive stop for overseas businesses. That’s why we believe that this project is essential for the Korean market as a whole.”
 
A promotional booth was set up within Terminal 1 of Incheon International Airport on Oct. 12 to be showcased for three months. The technologies that will be used within the storage house, ranging from volts and security to robotics and logistics, can be viewed inside the booth.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]

Samsung Hong Kong has introduced a creative initiative called “Co-create Your Ideal Nature” to raise awareness of environmental protection and harness the power of art for a greener future.  

This comes as part of Samsung’s commitment to sustainability by incorporating eco-friendly initiatives at every stage of the production process, including incorporating recycled materials such as abandoned fishing nets in the components of Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5, Z Flip5, S23, Tab S9 Ultra, Buds2 Pro and SolarCell remote control.  

Samsung believes that everyone can help conserve the environment by being sustainable at an individual level. As such, the brand hopes to garner greater attention towards sustainable development, encouraging more individuals to support the cause. 

As part of the initiative, participants come together at Samsung Experience Stores and customer service centre to draw for a great cause and raise awareness of environmental protection. Canvas can be downloaded on Samsung website.  

Chosen artworks will be combined into captivating 3D animations, which will be showcased on the giant Samsung screen at Entertainment Building in Central, Hong Kong.  

Furthermore, Samsung has partnered four distinct green organisations to host community workshops, fostering connections among like-minded individuals who can collectively influence their friends and collaborate for a better future.  

The participating green groups include V’air which is dedicated to promoting low carbon local tours, Ocean Explorer which aims to facilitate eco-friendly water sports, Natural Bathing which offers immersive natural experiences to help urbanites destress, and Eco-Greenergy which is dedicated to promoting green design and workshops.  

Beyond gaining insights into ecological conservation, attendees, guided by skilled illustrators, can depict their visions of a greener future using Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Series devices. Additionally, participants can create their own eco bags on-site upon completing their artwork. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Samsung for more information. 

Back in September, Samsung Hong Kong officially launched the Solve for Tomorrow competition to inspire students to unleash their creativity for social causes they are passionate about.

As sustainable development is one of the most discussed issues globally, this year’s theme for Solve for Tomorrow is “Imagination that Creates our Sustainable Future”.

The competition aims to encourage Hong Kong students to have a longer-term vision and perspective, and collaborate with Samsung to contribute innovative ideas for sustainable development.

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