Open Call

•THEME •OPEN CALL TIMELINE •OVERVIEW •APPLICATION GUIDELINES •JURY •IMPORTANT NOTICES •DOWNLOAD •APPLY

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2023/24 THEME – EARTH SPEAK: Giving Voice to Paper

In the 1988 groundbreaking documentary, The Power of the Myth, journalist Bill Moyers and renown mythologist Joseph Campbell explore a host of ideas related to the evolution of our human mythology on earth and the recurring patterns within it across time and cultures. As Campbell explained so eloquently, the stories and legends shared by our ancestors over the centuries help us understand our place in the universe.

During these conversations, the two men viewed and discussed Earthrise, a photographic image of planet earth from space, taken on December 24, 1968 by astronaut William Anders aboard the Apollo 8 mission. As Campbell noted while viewing the iconic image, “You don’t see any divisions there of nations or states or anything of the kind. This might be the symbol, really, for the new mythology to come.” Indeed, the photo is credited with being one of the most influential images in history, inspiring a global environmental movement beginning with Earth Day in 1970 and continuing today.

Accompanying this environmental movement was a renaissance of hand papermaking and fiber art, as artists sought more sustainable creative practices including a return to the use of natural and recycled materials. Since that seminal moment, paper has been pushed beyond the traditional substrate, used in sculptures, installations, films and performance art, with the pulp itself being reinvented as a painting and printing media.

Revisiting centuries-old techniques and bringing ritual back into their art practice through the intimate contact with water, plant material, pulp, dirt, clay, bees wax and much more, paper and fiber artists find themselves in a unique position to give voice to the myriad cultures and habitats around the globe. Discovering a distinctive vibrancy in the materials and elements they work with, these individuals are reconnecting us with the environment in new ways, while also honoring timeless techniques of ancient makers.

According to Campbell, these connections are what make today’s artists our modern-day myth makers, assimilating “the qualities of our culture, and the new things that are possible—the new vision of the universe.” Reinterpreting our current experiences through art, film, music and the written word. Campbell asserts that the artist’s function is “the mythologization of the environment and the world.”

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OVERVIEW

• Eligibility: International
• Location: National Taiwan Craft Research and Development Institute (NTCRI) — Nantou, Taiwan
• Attendance: Participating artists are welcome to attend at their own expense.
• Travel Awards: Up to three installation or performance artists will be invited to Taiwan, sponsored by the NTCRI to install their work and organize a workshop.
• Activities: Proposals for research workshops and conferences encouraged.  (Attach pdf of workshop application)
• Comprises: As host organization, the NTCRI will provided:
  • Catalogue: Print A full-color catalogue; each participating artist will receive one copy.
  • Shipping for invited works: NTCRI will coordinate and pay for shipment for all invited artists to and from Taiwan. Details will be supplied upon selection..
  • Insurance: The NTCRI will cover the costs of insuring artworks during transit (both ways) and for the duration of the exhibition.
  • However, participating artists are strongly advised to obtain their own separate insurance as NTCRI insurance covers the COST OF MATERIALS ONLY. In the event of an insurance claim, the value of the work must be proven/well-established. VERY IMPORTANT: the NTCRI is NOT responsible for works that have been inadequately packed, incorrectly addressed or that do not fully meet customs requirements.
• Contact: info@ibpfa.org

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APPLICATION GUIDELINES

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IMPORTANT NOTICES

• The organizers of this exhibition reserve the right to cancel the exhibition at any time in the event of unforeseen circumstances.
• By participating in this open call, the candidate affirms that the artwork in the image[s] submitted is their own work and representative of the original artwork and created after 1 January 2021.
• Candidate agrees to abide by the guidelines and conditions as described by the organizers.
• If selected, candidate agrees to pack and ship the work according to guidelines provided.
• Candidate agrees that the images she/he provided may be used for communication purposes linked to this biennial including the exhibition catalogue as well as other events organized by the association or the NTCRI to promote paper and fibre art.

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IMPORTANT

• You may sign in and register to your account in bhuntr.com/en to amend your personal information before deadline.
• If you change your name or address/email address, or you discover that any of the other data we hold is inaccurate or out of date, please contact us at info@ibpfa.org.

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