Call for Artists
Diálogo 365: CARPE DIEM
Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero...
"Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future"
- Horace
The Latin aphorism “Carpe Diem” is often interpreted as “seize the day” or “seize the moment”, from the verse in Horace's ode in which the Epicurean Roman poet asks us to focus on making the best of the current moment – the evanescent “now” that only lasts the briefest moment - because the future always is and will ever remain uncertain, ungraspable. What about the possibility of grasping the “now” as a moment of total awareness, of total recognition that the time has come to take control of one's destiny in order to manifest a new tomorrow?
In order to further extend the typical interpretation of the phrase, for the 2012 edition of Casa de Venezuela's Diálogo 365: CARPE DIEM that will take place in Philadelphia's Art in City Hall between October and December 2012, we call for regional US Latino artists of Latin American and Caribbean heritage to create new work that considers the more literal definition of “carpe” as "to pick, pluck, pluck off, cull, crop, gather, to eat food, to serve, to want", including the use of the word in the sense of "to enjoy, seize, use, make use of" by the Roman poet Ovid.
At a momentous time in which the political power and voice of the Latino communities throughout the US has become more amplified and nuanced than ever, Diálogo 365: CARPE DIEM asks artists to take into consideration their role and importance as cultural ambassadors. The Hebrew phrase in the Pirkei Avoth 1:14“And if not now, then when?” provides additional inspiration.
All manner of works in all media will be evaluated and considered, but special attention will be placed on the work of emerging artists. Because City Hall is a historical venue, we can only accept work that has proper hanging hardware including hanging wire. No exceptions will be made.
Diálogo 365: CARPE DIEM is made possible by a collaboration between Casa de Venezuela and the Office of Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez, as well as additional sponsors that will be announced at a later date.
Notes
Oversized and three-dimensional works will be carefully vetted. Submissions are welcome from artists based along the East Coast of the USA and will be accepted only in digital formal via the application form in this website. Submissions must be received by August 24th, 2012 at 11:59pm ET in order to be considered for the exhibition.. Artists are fully responsible for the transportation of their work to and from the venue, and the dates and hours of delivery, installation, and pick up will be informed later and will be strictly enforced due to the venue's rules.
- Artwork Drop-Off:between October 8th and 12th. Precise dates and hours to be informed later.
- Exhibition Installation: TBD
- Opening Reception: October 18th, 5pm-8pm
- Artwork Pick-Up: between December 8th and 11th. Precise dates and hours to be informed later.
Each artist can submit up to three works for consideration in JPEG format (@ 300dpi for use in printed media). Images need to be accompanied by an artistic resume and a short bio that will be used for the catalog publication accompanying the exhibition.
Sale of Artworks: Artists may choose to offer their works of art for sale during the exhibition. The artist must indicate whether a submitted piece of art is for sale, as well as the sale price. A sales commission will be added on top of the artist's sale price.
Casa de Venezuela is a non for profit 501(c)3 organization; its mission is to promote the culture, traditions, folklore and roots of Venezuela in the Delaware Valley region, also known as The Greater Philadelphia region, through cultural, artistic, educational, community and social events and programs.
