Call for artists now open
By Ray Ball & Raven Fulton
ray@paloozanoire.com
Paloozanoire and a curatorial committee are now accepting artist proposals to create original artwork for its 2023 Black & Brown Faces: VERIFIED exhibition, to be hosted at the Cincinnati Art Museum from November 24, 2023–January 21, 2024.
This is the third iteration of the Black & Brown Faces exhibition, building on projects in 2020 and 2022. VERIFIED will explore the immense impact of Black & Brown culture, invention and innovation on the development of American and global culture. This will be a multimedia exhibition featuring the work of approximately 15 Midwest artists of color.
The 2022 Black & Brown Faces exhibition, Paying Homage To, recognized 15 sung and unsung Cincinnati leaders, all individuals of color driving change in their community, disrupting the norm and lifting others through their work. The inaugural exhibition in 2020 explored struggle and uplift by focusing on outward expressions of identity during the extremes of that year.
“The Cincinnati Art Museum is pleased to be partnering with Paloozanoire, continuing the Black & Brown Faces project,” shared the museum’s chief curator Cynthia Amnéus. “We applaud the work being created by local and regional artists and are committed to fostering our relationship with our local creative community. The Cincinnati Art Museum anticipates this exhibition will bring many visitors from Cincinnati and across the Midwest to see this presentation.”
2023 theme: VERIFIED
Paloozanoire asks artists: How do we recognize creators and thought leaders as originators of their own work and concepts?
VERIFIED is an ode to the cultural influences that inspire nations. Black & Brown culture has always been and will continue to be a driving current in the evolution of our world. With the call to participate in VERIFIED, Paloozanoire invites artists to interpret how Black & Brown innovators of the past, present and future influence culture in any of the following areas:
- Entertainment
- Health and Science
- Beauty and Fashion
- Food and Agriculture
Further, Paloozanoire encourages artists to consider and interpret the concept of being “verified.” Black & Brown thought leaders have historically struggled to maintain ownership of their intellectual and creative property in a society grappling with racial bias and inequalities. The advent of social media gave creators the opportunity to bring their work to the world on their terms, but further complicated the struggle to benefit from widespread adoption or admiration of their individual ideas. To protect identity and personal and professional brands, the concept of being “verified” online came to prominence. Receiving the infamous blue badge means being identified as the originator.
VERIFIED: application process
Artists chosen to participate in the 2023 Black & Brown Faces exhibition will receive a stipend to cover supplies needed to create their piece. To apply, complete and submit the artist proposal form by midnight on Friday, May 19.
The application asks several questions regarding the artist’s proposed artwork. Paloozanoire is accepting several forms of works, including two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and digital. Artists who self-identify as Black or Brown, are over the age of 18, have an accessible portfolio of artwork online and live in the Midwest region, which includes Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee, may apply.
Participating artists will be invited to attend an opening celebration at the museum on Friday, December 1. See the proposal form (cincyart.org/BBFVERIFIED) for additional information and requirements. Artists will be contacted about the status of their proposal by July 7.
More exhibition details will be announced later in the year on paloozanoire.com and cincinnatiartmuseum.org.
