An opportunity to RESPOND: Smack Mellon Open Call
After hearing about the grand jury’s decision to not indict Daniel Pantaleo, Smack Mellon has postponed a planned exhibition* in order to respond to the continued failure of the United States to protect its black citizens from police discrimination and violence. In order to channel our outrage into actions that can facilitate systemic change, Smack Mellon’s gallery space will be used to present events, performances and artworks that address the institutional racism that allows for the police to murder black members of the community.
The exhibition dates for RESPOND are January 17- February 22, 2015.
Smack Mellon’s current Studio Artists Esteban del Valle, Molly Dilworth, Oasa DuVerney, Ira Eduardovna, Steffani Jemison, and Dread Scott will work with Smack Mellon staff as lead organizers.
We hope you will join us in sending this important message about injustice from the artistic community out to a broader public.
RESPOND: Exhibition information:
RESPOND is a powerful and diverse collection of curated artworks, artifacts, objects, performances, and public programs that respond to the context of police violence. Artists working at all levels and in all media are invited to apply for inclusion in the group exhibition. We hope to provide an exhibition opportunity that enables emerging artists, established artists, and young people to share their work side-by-side.
All submissions will be reviewed in the order that they are received. The submission deadline is Sunday, December 28, but artists are encouraged to submit as soon as possible for full consideration.
Artists selected for inclusion in the group exhibition will be notified Friday, January 2. Artwork must be received at the gallery between January 3 and January 7. We recommend that artists hand-deliver the work between 12-6pm, January 3-7. Artwork can be shipped to the gallery, but Smack Mellon is unable to cover shipping or return shipping costs.
Artwork Guidelines:
Two-dimensional work will be hung salon-style. Artwork may be in any size and any medium. Artwork must be exhibition-ready with hanging hardware. Smack Mellon is unable to frame any artworks for the exhibition.
Three-dimensional works, including sculptures, artifacts, objects, and artist books, will be accepted.
Video submissions will be accepted. Video works by multiple artists will be looped on a single monitor.
Performance submissions are accepted. Performances must be submitted as video documentation of past work. In the image script, clarify that the video is meant as a performance proposal (and not a self-contained video artwork).
This is a large exhibition with limited space, and our goal is to include a large and diverse group of artists. Accordingly, size will be considered when evaluating your work. Video works that are shorter than 8 minutes will receive the strongest consideration.
Due to time and space limitations, we are only able to consider a single submission from each artist. Because this is an unusual exhibition with many public events, we are unable to insure artworks exhibited in the gallery.
Event Proposal Guidelines
We would like to provide Smack Mellon’s 5,000 square foot gallery space to be used by community organizers, activists, artists, and communities to organize, collaborate, and act.
We invite members of the community to submit proposals that will:
- provide concrete resources to help adults and youth to participate in the community and political response to the epidemic of police violence against black men
- empower young people to engage in the political process through conversation, creation, and protest
- create cross-generational and cross-community connections that extend beyond the art world and facilitate enduring collaborations
To submit a still image click here.
To submit a video click here.
To submit an event proposal click here.
*Special thanks to Erica Bailey and Michael Kukla for postponing
their shows in support of this exhibition.
Erica Bailey’s exhibition is now slated for March 14-April 19, 2015 and
Michael Kukla’s exhibition is now slated for September 2015.