Born to be alive.
A Brief
A4 Sounds invites artists to propose work for our upcoming exhibition Born to be alive. as part of our We Only Want the Earth Programme.
Over the course of 6 weeks, the exhibition will be formed, built, born from the works submitted, beginning with six building blocks from our research.
We invite submissions of completed works that respond to our brief (linked below) which is a visual representation of some threads from our ongoing research. The exhibition is a continuation of our previous group show The Cosmos, The Earth, and Us. Born to be alive. acts as a mechanism for an ongoing iterative conversation between A4 Sounds, artists, and audiences about the goals and strategies of social change: what kind of society do we want and how should we get there?
The context for We Only Want the Earth is ongoing, unpredictable social change. The perceived legitimacy of international institutions and international law is collapsing. Climate change is accelerating, and the border regimes of the countries that have benefitted the most from its causes are increasingly violent, preventing escape for those suffering the worst of its effects. Ireland participates as a junior partner in and beneficiary of Western imperialism, at the cost of much of its sovereignty; popular legislation aligned with international law cannot be enacted due to a fear of the US response, while Irish neutrality is ever closer to being dismantled despite broad public opposition. Domestically, the crises of inequality, cost of living, and homelessness continue to worsen.
We are living through Gramsci’s interregnum: the old world is dying and the new world struggles to be born. New opportunities for radical social change present themselves, but they are accompanied by reactionary violence that seeks to return to an imagined idyllic past. In this context, deliberative and discursive arts practices are urgently needed.
We invite you to propose work that responds to the exhibition title: Born to be alive.
Please follow this link to view the full brief: https://tr.ee/oH8fqz
The brief is an invitational artwork in the form of a spreadsheet.
It is hosted on Google Sheets and is best viewed in landscape on a computer screen. To view on your phone or tablet, you may need to download the Google Sheets app.
We invite artists to respond to our brief and propose work that resonates with the theme: Born to be alive.
A. Digital Artworks
Open to: Artists Internationally
We welcome submissions of digital works from artists based in Ireland or internationally. We are particularly interested in working with artists from previously colonised or currently occupied countries, and the Global South.
Accepted formats include any file-shareable media, such as video, film, sound, and digital images.
B. Physical Artworks
Open to: Artists based in Ireland (including the north of Ireland)
We welcome submissions of physical works across a wide range of mediums, with a particular interest in sound, video, paint, textiles, and sculpture.
For both categories, we are especially interested in works that engage with social, political, geopolitical, geological, ecological, or speculative themes.
Please note: We are accepting submissions of completed works only; works in progress will not be considered.
If you have any questions, please email Lisa at wowte@a4sounds.org
How to apply:
Please fill out our short application form below.
Information you will be asked for:
- Contact information
- Artist Bio (150 words max)
- Websites and social media links if relevant)
- About the Artwork (150 words max)
- Documentation of the Artwork (Links or File Upload)
We are using a new experimental approach to exhibition making for this iteration of our group exhibition. This approach will see the show being formed across a longer period in real time. To this end applications will be selected on a rolling basis by the curatorial team.
Applications will be selected by vote using the following criteria:
1) How the proposal responds to the exhibition theme: Born to be alive.
2) The artistic quality of the submitted artwork
Round One: Open call will pause Monday 28th September at 5pm.
We will be accepring application on a rolling basis up to Monday 28th September. Following this we may open further rounds throughout the exhibiton until we have exhausted the available budget for artist fees and/or feel the show has arrived at a natural pause.
Confidentiality
Applications will remain confidential and viewed by members of the curatorial panel only.
Applications will be deleted when the selection process is complete.
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