About the Call Full Details
Forgotten Artists: Homage to the Past is a research-driven exhibition dedicated to bringing visibility to artists whose significant contributions have been historically overlooked, marginalized, or lost over time, and whose stories are often absent from traditional art history narratives.
Participating artists are invited to engage in a deep dive, researching and selecting a “forgotten” artist—an individual whose work, influence, or cultural significance has faded from public recognition. The selected artist may come from any cultural background and must hail from a historical period between the 1700s and 1970. Artists will then create new, contemporary work in direct response to their chosen artist’s legacy. These interpretations serve as both a respectful homage and a critical inquiry, effectively bridging the past with the present through creative reinterpretation.
This call is open to all professional artists, including individual practitioners, collaborative teams, and designers with experience in public art projects. While not strictly mandatory, it is preferred that the artist can be on-site for the installation of their work. The exhibition welcomes a diverse range of media, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary art practices, including 2D media (painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, mixed media) and 3D media (jewelry, ceramics, sculpture, woodworking, and installation).
A key component of this exhibition emphasizes research and education. Each participating artist is required to submit a concise written statement (approximately 50–100 words) to accompany their artwork. This statement should clearly identify the “forgotten” artist being referenced, provide relevant historical and cultural context, explain how this research informed the artist’s style, and articulate why they chose that specific “forgotten” artist’s work. These texts will be displayed alongside the artwork, enriching the educational mission of the Yavapai College Art Gallery and fostering deeper engagement among viewers, artists, and art history enthusiasts.
Entry Fees
$10