Woman Made Gallery's Feminist Biennial juried by Ashley Wynn

Woman Made Gallery seeks submissions for the first iteration of The Feminist Biennial, with the exhibition dates of September - November 2022. This is a group exhibition juried by Ashley Wynn (Recent Director at Monique Meloche Gallery, Board Member at LATITUDE Chicago). This exhibition will be held at Woman Made Gallery located at 2150 S. Canalport Ave., Chicago, IL 60608 in the Pilsen neighborhood. 

EXHIBITION DESCRIPTION

The Feminist Biennial is a bi-annual exhibition at WMG that puts forward reflections and evolutions of contemporary feminism, as a movement and personal subjective act. It highlights artistic excellence by artists working in any medium and who identify as women and non-binary artists, including trans women and femme/feminine-identifying genderqueer artists. 

As legendary historical moments, the first three waves of feminism are well theorized and widely known. The first, woman’s suffrage; second propelled forward by the civil rights act, woman’s sexual and financial freedom; and the third the rise of queer theory, race justice and intersectionality within the feminist moment and sex positivity.

Now speculating the fourth wave, which has yet to be theorized and is less understood, WMG asks what does it mean to be a feminist today? At its core, feminism has been and continues to be a personal and collective reclamation of power in a patriarchal world that undervalues and devalues feminine-presenting expressions of self.  It is a lived experience, a daily act, and held in community to makes sense of the world through a feminist lens. WMG's Feminist Biennial as an exhibition seeks to provide a platform for marginalized voices to put forth artwork that explores feminist thought, action, intersectionality and lived experience in 2022. 

As a juried exhibition, each iteration of the Feminist Biennial offers applicants the unique opportunity to have their work reviewed by esteemed arts professionals and industry connectors. The exhibition then results from a highly selective juried competition and presents work across career levels.  Awards include cash prizes or an additional two-person exhibition a WMG in spring 2023. A committee of professionals including the juror will award a two-person exhibition opportunity to awardees based on merit and the spirit of the exhibition.

Woman Made Gallery seeks artwork in all mediums. We encourage intersectional feminist approaches and lived experiences considering gender and sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, and/or disability, among other social locations.

PRIZES 

$1,000 in awards including the Best of Show cash prize of $500, 

A two-person exhibition at Woman Made Gallery scheduled for May 2023

ABOUT THE JUROR

Ashley Wynn is an independent arts professional living in Chicago, IL.  Formerly the director of contemporary spaces in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and most recently the director at Monique Meloche Gallery in Chicago, Wynn has collaborated with established and emerging artists on projects and exhibitions operating across the disciplines of art and performance.  From 2017 - 2019 Wynn held positions at MoMA PS1 and MOCA, where she assisted with curatorial work focused largely on the intersection of art and politics, facilitating commission projects, architectural installations, site specific performances, and film installations from a diverse array of contemporary artists.  She holds a bachelor's degree in Art History from UCLA and currently sits on the board of LATITUDE Chicago.

IMPORTANT DATES

EXHIBITION DATES: September 24 – November 7, 2022

OPENING RECEPTION: Saturday, September 24, 4 - 7 PM CST

FINAL SUBMISSIONS DEADLINE: Sunday, May 22, 2022 @ 11:59 PM CST

NOTIFICATIONS: Wednesday, June 15, 2022

SUBMISSION FEE
The submission fee for The Feminist Biennial is $30. The submission fee will then increase to $35 per submission for an extended deadline. 

Only one submission may be entered per artist. Each submission requires one artwork, though up to three artworks may be considered per submission. Paid submission does not guarantee an exhibition opportunity. No refunds offered.

Members at the Enhanced Artist Level and above receive one free entry annually. Please email general@womanmade.org to receive your one-time code for free entry redemption.

WMG offers fee waivers to those that request the need and upon approved application. WMG offers 30 fee waivers in total. To acknowledge the historic inequities of wealth distribution, 20 of the 30 are exclusively reserved for ALAANA/BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+. Factors that result in an approved application include financial instability or low income status, student or recent graduate status, identification as ALAANA/BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA+, or a demonstrated need otherwise. WMG accepts Fee Waiver Request forms on a rolling basis until all fee waivers have been distributed. To request a fee waiver -- complete this form.

ELIGIBILITY
Woman Made Gallery is a space for women and nonbinary artists, including trans women and femme/feminine-identifying genderqueer artists. WMG seeks to exhibit artists who self-identify as women and non-binary artists. 

Due to limited staff and wall size restrictions, artworks must fall within 6’ horizontally and under 75 pounds in weight, unless delivered to and picked up from our 4th floor gallery by the artist. Artists may be additionally responsible for the installation of oversized works.

New media artworks are eligible. To be considered, artists must  submit a sample .mp4 or url under 10mins for purposes of consideration. For exhibition, WMG requires a digital transfer (Google Drive, Vimeo downloads, WeTransfer) as well as a USB formatted in .mp4 file format delivered to the gallery. WMG can provide a limited number of media players, Epson projectors and TV monitors with basic speakers. All other new media needs are the responsibility of the artist.

ART SALES
Accepted work may be listed for sale, though is not required. WMG will retain a 40% commission on sold works. Work remains the property of the artist until sold. Sold artworks shall remain in the exhibition until the end of the exhibition. Artists will be paid no later than 30 days after the close of the exhibit.

TERMS OF EXHIBITION
An artist contract with full terms of exhibition will be administered at the time of acceptance notification. Please note that the shipping/delivery to and from the gallery is the responsibility of the artist including all associated fees, insurance of work en route. If work is not picked up from exhibition by the date noted in the artist contract, the work will become the property of Woman Made Gallery and subject to donation to WMG's fundraising efforts, or otherwise discarded. WMG is happy to talk through preparations, offer advice, and recommend resources as requested.