United States exhibition

2011 Application Guidelines for
United States Exhibition (opening in July 2012)

All applicants must fill out the online form.
Applications sent by mail or email will not be reviewed.

Application Deadline: Monday, February 20, 2012, 5 pm

The Aldrich is dedicating a cycle of exhibitions (July 2012 to February 2013) to the exploration of the idea of United States and is looking for artists to contribute to this dialogue. The Museum will consider proposals to exhibit existing work, or proposals to create new works specifically for the exhibition. The exhibition will be on view during the 2012 US campaign and election season, including the presidential election, yet is not limited to the idea of the United States as a country.

United States: Straightforward dictionary definitions explain that to be united different factions must be made to act as a single entity—a united front—or join forces—a united effort. It can also be defined as being in harmony if all the united parties are in accord.

Meanwhile, the diverse meanings of state include a condition dependent on circumstances, particular attributes, and the situation and/or status of an entity. Condition implies a relationship to causes and circumstances, situation suggests an arrangement of circumstances, related to one another, and status carries implications that have to do with rank, position, standing, or a stage reached in progress.

Thus United States by definition implies, in essence, transience. Coming together and acting as united, or having to rely on uniting forces, creates a dynamic situation; furthermore, uniting forces are known for their need to regenerate. A state depends greatly on specific circumstances and its standing in any given process. Thus, United States are contingent upon infinite variables.

What mysterious forces make different entities act in unison as a single one and how can that state be maintained? This will be among the questions addressed in the exhibitions at The Aldrich dedicated to exploring the notion of United States.

Eligibility

All submissions will be reviewed by The Aldrich ’s curatorial staff, who will make a selection of artists’ proposals for further research and consideration. Being contacted by The Aldrich’s staff as a result of this open call does not imply an exhibition at the Museum; it indicates an interest in the artist’s project and the desire for information and correspondence with the artist, and may include a studio visit. Applicants will be notified of their status in March 2012.

Artists who are enrolled in a school, college or university program in 2012 are not eligible for this program.

About The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum

The Aldrich is one of the few independent, non-collecting contemporary art museums in the United States, and the only museum in Connecticut devoted to contemporary art. Founded on Ridgefield’s historic Main Street in 1964, the Museum concentrates its exhibition program on exhibitions by emerging and mid-career artists, complemented by acclaimed gallery-based education programs that use the work on view to help adults, families, and over 7,000 students annually to connect to our world through contemporary art. The mission of the Aldrich is to advance creative thinking by connecting today’s artists with individuals and communities in unexpected and stimulating ways.

Application Instructions

You will be asked to register and to create an account. Once registered, you will be able to log in as needed to edit your application until you are ready to make your submission.

The application program will prompt you to provide the following information:

Personal Information
Please provide name, address, phone number, email and Web site (if available).

Project Statement
Please provide a brief description of your proposal and how it relates to the United States theme proposed by The Aldrich.

Current Resumé
The resume should include information about your date and place of birth; education; exhibition history; awards, grants and residencies; and details of any published writings, reviews or catalogues about your work.

(10) Digital Images OR (3) Videos
Images should be of recent work, particularly if they relate to your proposal for The Aldrich.

Submit digital images or videos in a Mac compatible format. The ten images or videos should be labeled with your first initial and last name and then numbered (example: 01_JSmith.jpg, 02_JSmith.jpg, etc.)

The images must be no more than 300 dpi each at approx. 4 x 5 inches, file size no larger than 1200 x 1600 pixels and maximum of 5.5MB per image.

For each image, you will be asked to include the title, date, materials and dimensions and, if necessary, a brief description of the work.

Videos should be no longer than three minutes each. Please identify the video with a title, date and duration and, if necessary, a brief description of the work.

To apply for this exhibition opportunity at The Aldrich, please upload the information online.

NOTE:

All applicants must fill out the online form. When you have completed and submitted your proposal through the online application, you will be emailed a confirmation number. Please print this email confirmation for your records.

Please do not contact the Museum to inquire about your application—all applicants will be notified about the status of their proposal by the end of March 2012.

Completed applications must be received by 5 pm on Monday, February 20, 2012.

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