The Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Art Gallery invites artists to submit their work for Unfiltered Femininity. What is femininity? We challenge artists and viewers to reflect on the idea of femininity with an unfiltered lens, to shed the societal norms and shake things up by pushing past the current ideas and socially acceptable imagery. Instead of narrowing the scope of femininity in search of a definition we hope the work in this show will expand our understanding of femininity through each artist's unique perspective and interpretation. This exhibition will capture a full, unfiltered spectrum of authentic expression, unlimited by society's ideas of beauty, makeup, and bodies.
|
This is a special exhibition created, currated by Jennessa Burks who is a local artist, activist and educator. |
|
Over the years Jennessa has immersed herself in a lifelong passion for the arts, emphasizing therapeutic benefits, forging community, and the power of public art. Through the use of paintings, mixed media pieces, and murals Jennessa works to express her emotions and amplify the voices of marginalized communities. Her commissioned work, gallery pieces, and artivism series have focused on memorial portraiture and topics such as mass incarceration, code switching, intersectionality, and more. Her portraiture captures the beauty, strength, and resilience of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities through portraiture. Black and brown folx are commonly missing from art spaces, unfortunately reflective of their stories and truths being muted throughout history. With her portraits she aspires to bring joy to others who may experience the void of being unseen while bringing awareness to those who hold the privilege and fulfillment of being seen.
Jennessa believes public art sparks necessary dialogue around issues impacting those who hold marginalized identities. Outside of her individual pieces she strives to create community involved murals that engage folx in both the design process and implementation. She has helped create over 20 large scale public art projects throughout Massachusetts including projects found at the Boys and Girls Club Worcester, Main South Community Development Center, and Legendary Legacies. Jennessa finds there is an almost tangible sense of pride that folx exude when communities come together to uplift a space through visual storytelling. Her works of art and commitment to community arts have been honored with awards such as the Katherine Erskine Award for her leadership in education, MAEA Community Arts Educator of the Year, Worcester’s 40 Under 40 award, and the Key to the City for her contributions to public art.
Jennessa believes public art sparks necessary dialogue around issues impacting those who hold marginalized identities. Outside of her individual pieces she strives to create community involved murals that engage folx in both the design process and implementation. She has helped create over 20 large scale public art projects throughout Massachusetts including projects found at the Boys and Girls Club Worcester, Main South Community Development Center, and Legendary Legacies. Jennessa finds there is an almost tangible sense of pride that folx exude when communities come together to uplift a space through visual storytelling. Her works of art and commitment to community arts have been honored with awards such as the Katherine Erskine Award for her leadership in education, MAEA Community Arts Educator of the Year, Worcester’s 40 Under 40 award, and the Key to the City for her contributions to public art.
Exhibition Co-Jurors Rixy and Amora
|
|
|
Rixy (she/her, b. 1995) is an interdisciplinary street artist who stylizes the intersection of feminism, spirituality, and social justice in and around her Latinx Caribbean contemporary diaspora. The assemblage nature of her world building is a call to animate the beauty of resilience in our cultures through imaginative projects. These works are typically reflected through paintings, sculptures, public art, and immersive installations, built on a foundation of sustainable access to local materials, processes, and education. The methods used in her work are often site-specific, using a mix of illustrative techniques, socially informed design, found objects, and artisanal embellishments. Rixy’s work reconstructs the vibrant beauty in global narratives to activate inclusive third spaces between private and public walls. Through this framework "Cúcala" was created, a neon storyisland that directly bridges our practice in social equity, identity, and empowerment.
Rixy has received accolades such as City of Boston's Un-Monuments : Re-Monuments `Public Art Research + Development Grant, a Newell Flather Award for Emerging Leadership in Public Art, and a Next Level Aerosol Residency with Meridian International and Manaarat Al Saadiyat Museum in Dubai, UAE. Her work has been shown globally and in various spaces including Meca Art Fair in Dominican Republic, with Rosa Projects in Oakland, CA, with Wassaic Project's Haunted Mill in New York, and featured in ICA Boston for WBUR’s “The Makers” series. |
Amora is a fiery, self taught artist who creates paintings that interweave radiant colors and grungy vibes. Drawing from a background in fashion design she selects visually appealing color pallets that capture the deep emotion of her paintings. Her work brings mental and physical health issues to the forefront for viewers with symbolic imagery that aid in visual storytelling. On her personal journey as a burn survivor she has learned the complexities of transforming pain into beauty. Her art is deeply inspired by her own grapplings with mental health, female resilience, and the perplexities of human experience. As a local Worcester artist Amora has contributed to the growing art community with her own business, The Rose Realm. Her recognizably styled artwork has been featured in several art shows. She continues to share her creativity with a notable enthusiasm.
|
DATES TO REMEMBER
Submission format/requirements
All work is submitted digitally for consideration. Email your submissions in one email to the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at [email protected]
Include in your email submission:
Important information
- Submission deadline: May 16th
- Email notifications: May 21st
- Delivery of work: May 24th 11-2pm, May 25th 1-5pm
- Exhibition dates: June 5th- July 5th
- Opening reception: June 5th, 4-7pm
- Work pick up: July 5th 4-6pm, July 6th 11-5pm
Submission format/requirements
All work is submitted digitally for consideration. Email your submissions in one email to the Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery at [email protected]
Include in your email submission:
- Attach a word document that includes the following info for each submission: Title, media/materials, size, date created, and if it is for sale include the price. Also include in this document any social media or website information you would like to include. Please don't use other types of documents.
- Attach a 2nd word document that includes a 1-2 paragraph (no more than a page) art/artist statement. This can include how the art is connected to the theme of the exhibit. Please don't use other types of documents.
- Attach digital image files (up to 5 separate works with up to three views of each) must be .jpg files. Each image file should be named using the following format: Artist name_Artwork title.jpg **Please do not embed your images in your word or pdf documents.**
- All submissions must include high quality image/sound/video files. If your work is accepted, it is that file that will be used for the online exhibition and marketing purposes. If you don't want your images used for marketing purposes, please indicate that.
- Incomplete or incorrectly formatted submissions will not be considered
Important information
- Accepted works must be delivered to the gallery by May 25th 5pm We do not ship work to or from the gallery.
- The Dolphin Gallery reserves the right to reject any work that is significantly different from the original submission.
- All accepted works must remain on display for the duration of the exhibition.
- All work must be display-ready. Hangable work must be framed where appropriate with appropriate hanging hardware installed and ready. 3D work must be structurally sound and safe, ready for display. Any work requiring technical support must include that technical support and/or equipment. Any work with special display issues will require additional consideration before final acceptance.
- All work must be original and not have been shown at the Dolphin Gallery in the last five years.
- Artists are invited to submit up to 5 works of art.
- We do not take commissions or sell work through the gallery. If someone is interested in purchasing your work, we will give you their contact info and let you work that out with them directly.
- Please make sure that you can make the drop off and pick up dates BEFORE you submit your work.
The Mary Cosgrove Dolphin Gallery, located in the Ghosh Science and Technology Center, offers five main exhibits interspersed with shorter term events throughout the year. The gallery invites artists in all stages of their careers along with our faculty and students to exhibit works that explore the established, edgy, and innovative ideas in the artistic world. The gallery’s mission is to contribute to the cultural offerings of the region by exhibiting work of vitality and interest in the contemporary art world.
