STATEMENT AND THEME

Human Beings have an innate primitive sense of their dependency on nature and their complex relationship to it. This connection appears throughout art history and as part of several cultural traditions such as “Nowruz”, a traditional Iranian ceremony which celebrates spring and the Persian New Year in March. Nowruz is celebrated along with several other festivals such as Chaharshanbe Suri, a fire jumping festival that joyously welcomes the New Year, or Sizdah Bedar, a celebration ritual during which people spend time outdoors strengthening their ties with nature. Coinciding with spring and Nowruz, Rite of Passage is an exhibition that demonstrates the rooted attitude of respect and honor in Iranian culture regarding nature as well as stewardship of the natural environment through the international community.

 

We will accept works that reflect the unique cultural, spiritual, and creative interpretations of artists who have been working directly in their natural environment or have implemented nature in their art through their creative expression. As their personal investigations also express the self in relation to this environment, we hope to expand and create a new conversation between environmental art and personal spirituality. We are also looking for works that cover concerns about many of the environmental crises we all face today, such as global warming, our responsibility toward nature, and raise environmental awareness on the community.

 

EXHIBITION DETAILS

Accepted works will be displayed by an array of video projectors, screens, and monitors at the San Francisco City Hall, through Iranican’s Nowruz Celebration Venue on March 25, 2016. We seek artwork in various mediums including photography, digital art, video art, mixed media, and painting. Participation is open to artists (18 years and older) internationally at any level with any medium and style. Entries will be curated and selected based on their relevance to theme, creativity, and cultural expressions.

 

ARTWORK SUBMISSION

Artists may submit up to three pieces online at the bottom of this page by March 18, 2016 following these steps:

1. Fill out the ONLINE SUBMISSION FORM (bottom of this page. The Submission Form asks for artist’s information, short artist biography (max 100 words) and artwork specifications (title, actual size, and medium).

2. Upload the digital image of your three artworks. The name of the image of your artwork should be your first name and the title of the artwork (example: James Lee-Global Warming) corresponding exactly with its title on the Submission Form. The image of the artwork should not include frame and glass and should be of a good quality that is representable on the digital displays (preferably a minimum of 2000pixel on the longest side, 300dpi quality, and RGB format). We only accept jpeg and jpg formats and files under 4 MG.

3. For video-based work, artists must submit a link to their work on Vimeo or YouTube. The juror will view up to two minutes of your work and the work should not be more than 10 minutes. If work is accepted for the exhibition, the work must be available for presentation as mp4 or mov video file, and must be able to be shown on a video monitor.

4. There is no submission fee to participate in the exhibition but we encourage artist to consider supporting our effort by making a suggested $5 donation. 

 

SELECTED WORK

Selected works will be announced on March 22, 2016 via email and Ziya Art Center’s website www.ziyaart.com. Selections are final and we will exhibit digital image and videos of selected artwork so there is no need to ship the original work. Selected artists will be provided with a certificate of participation, emailed digitally to them. We will actively promote the selected arts in the course of the exhibition and beyond through various methods that may include but not limited to sharing them and introducing artists via email lists, social media, online gallery, apps, and possibly an exhibition catalog to make sure several thousands of audiences will view the arts globally.

 

AGREEMENT

Images of artwork submitted may be used in printed and digital formats (might include but not limited to the exhibit book/ catalog, posters and flyers, online gallery, and other promotional and educational materials) by the organizations leading the exhibition. Artists will be credited. Submitting artwork to this exhibition acknowledges agreement set forth in this Call to Artists. The organizations leading the exhibition may rescind the right of displaying any art misrepresented or unsuitably presented and may change the conditions if necessary.

 

EXHIBITION TIMELINE

• Submission deadline: March 18, 2016

• Announcing accepted artworks: March 22, 2016

• Showcase time: March 25, 2016, at the San Francisco City Hall, through the Iranican’s Nowruz Festival

 

CONTACT: For more information please email us at ziya.art.studio@gmail.com

 

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: “Rite of Passage” is an extension of an inaugural exhibition with the same title which was curated by Arash Shirinbab and Minoosh Zomorodinia at the Gallery of ICCNC in Oakland from February 20 to March 20, 2016. The extended exhibition at the San Francisco City Hall is co-curated and juried by Arash Shirinbab and Minoosh Zomorodinia with the aid of assistant curators, Faezeh Faezipour and Shaghayegh Shirinbab. It is led by Iranican and supported by partner art organizations including Ziya Art Center, Multiverse Art Gallery, Persian Arts Revival, and SAMENA Circle.

Rite of Passage

International Exhibition

 

CALL TO ARTISTS

 

Theme: Environmental Art, Art & Nature, Nature in Cultures and Cultural Celebrations such as the Persian New Year Called Nowruz

 

Submission Deadline: March 18, 2016  

 

Place and Date: The San Francisco City Hall, through Iranican’s Nowruz Celebration Venue on March 25, 2016

 

Submission Fee: Free