YOU ARE HERE
Call For Art:
Cities are like organisms- they grow, they evolve, they are not immune to hardship, and they too can recover. Take Detroit for example: on the precipice of rebirth, the City of Detroit is seeing a renewal of energy and excitement around it’s historic and rich arts’ scene. As is the case for many cities, the arts and culture scene tends to lead the way for new, innovative thinking. It’s impossible not to talk about ‘the future’ in the context of a city like Detroit and it’s artists and culture-makers. “The future belongs to a very different kind of mind: creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers.” (*1) Artists, builders, storytellers, out-of-the-box thinkers, and entrepreneurs, are all envisioning a new kind of ‘future’; one that is not linear or finite, but rather a new era that requires a different approach: whole-hemisphere thinking. It’s a transition from the analytical left-brain that marked the information age, to dual-hemisphere thinking that draws heavily on creativity, intuitiveness and emotions, all of which are associated with the right-brain.
As art becomes a catalyst for new development in cities like Detroit, whole-hemisphere thinking becomes an edge.. a necessity, even. This new approach to creative-rebuilding has drawn the attention of national and international Art’s communities which has led to an influx of young artists to Detroit where the opportunities are plentiful and their particular skill-sets are a commodity. As a result, like with any city, new topics arise regarding resource and opportunity allocation, gentrification, and identity. Like many major art hubs, Detroit artists tie their connection with the city into their artistic-identity: which community they belong to (from born-and-raised, to transplant, to suburbanite, to out-of-towner) and see it as an indicator of how opportunities should be dispersed during growth and expansion. Even within the larger Detroit Arts’ Community factions arise based on of the geographical layout of the city itself (Southwest, Eastside, Corktown, Eastern Market, Midtown, Downtown, [Hamtramck], etc), just like the many boroughs of NYC, or neighborhoods of L.A. These built-in communities can be both a source of inclusion and exclusion, as the definition of ‘identity’ expands further for artists.
This show will draw on the idea that ‘You are Here’ can be both an indicator of place and time (i.e. you are here, existing at this moment in time, during a period of new urban development and revitalization, spear-headed by creative, whole-hemisphere thinkers and makers), and also “you are here” as in a place on a map, indicating location, and the identity associated with that location. Work in this show will explore location, time/place, Detroit’s future, urban development, ideas of identity, gentrification, creative emotional and empathetic ingenuity, and whole-brain thinking/making.
(*1.) Daniel H. Pink, A Whole New Mind
Note* Though this show will heavily feature Detroit, Greater Detroit, and East Michigan Artists, you do NOT have to live in Detroit to be a part of this show. If you have work that fits the theme and criteria for the show, please consider applying- the Carr Center is a very large space and a diverse array of opinions is needed.*
**SUBMISSION DEADLINE IS OCT. 3rd at 11:59pm**
SHOW INFO:
Show will run November 3rd-December 17th, 2016 at The Carr Center, Detroit MI
Opening Reception & Award announcement: Thursday Nov 3rd 7pm-11pm at the Carr Center
$200 Best in Show (Public and Juried Vote)
$150 Runner Up (Public and Juried Vote)
$ Cash Honorarium for chosen Installation Artists
