The South Asian Women’s Creative Collective (SAWCC) is pleased to announce a call for submissions for our upcoming visual arts exhibition, Social Memory: Sites of Remembrance, curated by Shilpi Chandra and presented at Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, Blackburn 20|20 Gallery from March 16 – April 9th, 2023 with an opening reception on Thursday, March 16.
Curatorial Proposition:
How does a group share, convey and sustain memories? What are the amorphous ideas and emotions that bind it together and pull it apart? SAWCC has had a long and vibrant history as an arts collective, while continuing to evolve and grow in new directions. SAWCC’s upcoming visual arts exhibition seeks to investigate the idea of social memory and explore the connection between social identity, collective knowledge, and historical memory.
Our experience of the present is inexorably informed by the past; meanwhile, social memory emphasizes the contexts in which individuals shape their personal and group identities. While collective memories can often be a place of contestation, artists are uniquely positioned to resurrect and reformulate meaning, opening up new modes of collectivity and opportunities for sharing and passing on knowledge.
Artists are encouraged to think about the role of memory, identity, and belonging in their submissions.
About the Curator:
Shilpi Chandra is an art historian and curator with a focus on contemporary art of South Asia and its diaspora. Her curatorial practice is rooted in making art freely accessible to lay audiences by creating exhibitions that bring people into public and community spaces. After receiving her MA in Contemporary Art from SUNY-Purchase College, she worked in the curatorial department at the Katonah Museum of Art on thematic exhibitions ranging from self-taught artists to mid-century modern architecture. At the Pelham Art Center, a community based arts organization, Shilpi was responsible for managing the exhibitions program. Shilpi also has an MBA from Columbia Business School and worked in healthcare marketing for several years. She regularly teaches adult education classes on Chinese and Indian Art History and Contemporary Asian Art.
Guidelines for Submission:
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and identify as South Asian women, femmes, trans, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming individuals. SAWCC uses the UN definition of South Asia, which includes: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The diaspora includes the worldwide migration of peoples from the above countries to the following regions: East and South Africa, the Gulf States, the Caribbean, United Kingdom, and North America, among others.
Submitted artworks can include painting, work-on-paper, photography, sculpture, and installation. We will not be able to accept video, performance, internet-based art, or audio works for this exhibition.
Submissions must be submitted through this form. Detailed instructions are included in the submission form. All submissions must be received by 11:59 PM EST on December 21, 2022. Artists will be informed by January 12, 2023 regarding their submission. Selected artists will receive a modest honorararium of $150.
Please email all questions to info@sawcc.org.