New World Coming

A juried exhibition celebrating recent Ancestor 

Bernice Johnson Reagon of Sweet Honey in the Rock 

January 3–19, 2025, Piano Craft Art Gallery, Boston, MA 

   Curated by Yvette Modestin & Jen Kiok, Interim Co-Directors, Violence Transformed

“There’s a new day comin’… where you gon’ be standing when it comes?”

-Bernice Johnson Reagon (October 4, 1942 – July 16, 2024)

—————————————————————————————————————————

Violence Transformed invites visual artists to participate in New World Coming, a juried multi-media arts exhibit uplifting the words, sounds and spirit of Bernice Johnson Reagon. The exhibit will focus on the art and activism of socially engaged artists in and beyond Boston.

We are living in times where art allows us to heal but also enter into critical conversations that allows all facets of our community to be seen. Bernice Johnson Reagon led us with her voice for nearly half a century, speaking and singing out for freedom and justice. The words to her song, “New World Coming,” feel like a premonition for the moment we are in as a people.

We call out to you as artists, asking in the late Bernice Jonhnson Reagon’s words,

There’s a new day comin’, everything’s gon’ be turning over,

Everything’s gon’ be turning over, where you gon’ be standing when it comes?”

Violence Transformed’s “New World Coming” seeks 2D and 3D entries in any medium for exhibition and/or digital projection at the Piano Craft Gallery in Boston, MA. Submissions can include videos of proposed performances for showing during the exhibit. Please note: The audience for Violence Transformed exhibits include children, adolescents and adults of diverse backgrounds and communities. We are less interested, therefore, in graphic depictions of violence than in works that encourage reflection, awareness and community-wide engagement with the arts.

DEADLINE: Submissions to be received no later than November 29, 2024

NOTIFICATION: Selections to be confirmed December 9, 2024 

DELIVERY OF ARTWORK: 

Shipped Artwork Arrive by: Friday, December 27 (ship to Piano Craft Gallery 791 Tremont Street E508 c/o Erik Grau Boston MA, 02118.

Artwork Delivery: Saturday, December 28th from 10AM-12PM

Artwork Pickup: Sunday, January 19th at 5:00PM

Shipped Artwork Sent back by (include a return label in the packaging): Tuesday January 21st

Submission Guidelines: 

1. Up to six (6) images in JPEG (.jpg) format.The file name for each image must be in the following format: Last name_title.jpg (example: Warhol_campbellssoup.jpg). Image size should not exceed 2MB. Physical dimensions are limited to 72” tall for 2D work and 36” wide for 3D work.

 2. A list of images designating for each: Title, Medium, Dimensions and a brief narrative (optional) indicating the work’s relationship to themes of “New World Coming.” Artist narratives will be exhibited with selected works.

3. Artist’s Statement (optional) with bio and contact information. Please keep to one page.

4. A Violence Transformed Artist Submission & Release Form, Attached and Here

How to Submit:

Submit by email to:  info@violencetransformed.org

a. Enter your last name and VT 2024 “New World Coming” artist submission” in subject line b. Attach items #1-4 above

c. Pay submission fee online by clicking https://tinyurl.com/newworldcoming

Please note:

• If accepted, jurors may request artists to provide a high-resolution image (minimum 2000 pixels on the longest side) for use on web page banners.

• Artists will be informed of drop off/pick up dates of original artwork.

• Please indicate whether the work is available for purchase. Violence Transformed will reserve 20% as a donation.

_______________________________________________________________________

ABOUT VIOLENCE TRANSFORMED

Violence Transformed Mission:

To create socially conscious, trauma-informed spaces to build community across intersections using visual & performing arts to  address trauma, oppression, peace, unity and the realities of daily life in our communities.

Violence Transformed is an annual series of visual and performing arts events that celebrate the power of art, artists and art-making to confront, challenge and mediate violence. Violence Transformed events include visual arts exhibits and music, dance and theatrical performances hosted by multiple venues in Boston and beyond. Violence Transformed’s events include provider and artist-led workshops for individual families and communities impacted by violence.

ABOUT THE VENUE Piano Craft Gallery works to eliminate common barriers to accessing the arts such as race, education level, and class by guiding our operation through an anti-racist and inclusive lens. The Piano Craft Gallery, Inc. does this by sharing, promoting, and celebrating the work of racially, culturally, and socio-economically diverse artists of all abilities with the public. This results in diverse networks of individuals accessing the gallery space and experiencing the arts.

As you may have heard, the Piano Craft Gallery recently had a flood.We are ambitious and hopeful that the Gallery will have the required resources to reopen prior to this exhibition. Support the Piano Craft Gallery here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/improving-piano-craft-gallery-for-events-concerts-lectures