In Practice
A new, juried student competition to capture art in-the-making across campus and celebrate creativity taking place in multiple dimensions. All University of Chicago students of the College, graduate programs, or professional schools are encouraged to participate.
We seek divergent viewpoints, compelling stories, thoughtful reflections—and significant art. The competition is initiated and sponsored by the University of Chicago Arts Council in conjunction with the launching of arts.uchicago.edu.
You are invited to submit original artwork (audio, film, photography, music, installation, video, and short writings) that interacts with, “touches”, or is inspired by one of three themes:
1. “Capturing Kara”
Event dates: May 11–13, 2009
Acclaimed installation artist Kara Walker will visit campus for a series of conversations in early May. Catch her during one of her residency events, or take some time to explore her unique work and socially-charged subject matter. Actual photography and recordings of her presentations or work is strictly forbidden — so use your artistic resources to create something beyond those formats of chronicling. Anyone who attempts to bring recording devices to any of her presentations will be asked to leave.
Walker, who is known for her confrontational exploration of the raw intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, uses the medium of 18th-century cut-paper silhouettes to simultaneously evoke the historical realism of slavery and the chimera of the romance novel. Her residency concludes the 2008-2009 Artspeaks series, an annual visiting artist program which showcases the achievements of contemporary creative minds.
Kara Walker on campus:
Tuesday, May 12, 12:30–1:20 p.m. – free brownbag lunch @ the Center for the Study of Race, Politics, and Culture, 5733 S. University Ave.
Wednesday, May 13, 7:30 p.m. – ticketed event, ‘Kara Walker in conversation with Amy Dru Stanley’, Kent Hall room 107, 1020 E. 58th Street, http://artspeaks.uchicago.edu ($5 admission for students)
2. “FOTA Moments” (Annual Student Festival of the Arts)
Event dates: May 9–15, across campus
A campus tradition since 1963, this week-long celebration showcases student and faculty paintings, installations, films, plays, design, music, dance and more, with a celebratory flair. Parties, fashion shows, mask-making and juggling workshops… campus is transformed into a virtual arts world with a packed schedule of performances and participatory programming. Observe, engage, absorb, create!
For more information please visit: http://fota.uchicago.edu
3. “Art in Unexpected Places”
Event dates: ongoing
The University is renown for its Gothic architecture and stylized Gargoyles, as well as some of Frank Lloyd Wright’s prominent work, and Henry Moore sculpture. It is home to critically acclaimed theatre, and is the pioneer of improv and Second City. Throughout its storied history it has produced some of the country’s most influential writers. But let’s not stop there: The Oriental Institute boasts one of the world’s finest collections of ancient Near East culture; The Smart Museum plays host to the cutting edge contemporary art as well as significant retrospectives; and the Renaissance Society enjoys an international reputation as one of the finest resources of vanguard art. Several grammy-award-winning music ensembles call campus “home.”
Already knew that? Then show us something we don’t know. All this creative vigor breeds new and unexpected happenings. What is your version?
Submission Guidelines
- Submissions will be accepted from April 13, 2009 until June 5, 2009, 5 p.m.
- Submissions must be accompanied by an entry form.
- If applicable, work should be submitted in a digital format, uploaded to YouTube.
- Online submissions: artsinpractice@uchicago.edu
- Non-electronic submissions, marked “In Practice”, should be delivered to:
Administration Building, 5th Floor Reception
Attn: Theaster Gates - All submissions will be considered for posting on the In Practice web page as part of the art.uchicago.edu site.
- Subject matter should be original, relevant to the category, and suitable for distribution.
Acceptable formats
- Video/Audio/Music — any audio/visual multimedia (e.g., video, flash, animation, cell phone, slideshow) as long as the work is created for this competition
- Photography — digital or print
- Written — submitted electronically or in print format
Jury & Award Process
A panel of judges will be assembled from a pool of art-involved faculty, staff, alumni and affiliates. The jury will select ten artists to each receive $100 awards. The selected artists will be announced in June.
Submission Deadline: June 5, 2009, 5 p.m.
Contact: Ainsley Sutherland artsinpractice@uchicago.edu
