Call for Entries: Song of the Land

Annual Juried Exhibition by the Jewish Women Artists Network, a special interest group within the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA)

Song of the Land

Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion
Jack H. Skirball Campus
3077 University Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90007
January 20 – May 31, 2012
Meet the Artists Reception: Thursday, February 23, 5:00 – 7:00 PM

Exhibition Statement: Song of the Land

We learn from Genesis, 43:11, the historical awareness and significance of the land, its produce and its sanctity. Jacob sent his son Joseph a gift of fruits, nuts and honey from home through his brothers when they went to see him in Egypt. Liturgy refers to these crops of the Earth as zimrat ha’aretz, the song of the land.

Earth is our home and our constant and precious companion through life. We are the stewards of the earth. Lack of loving and knowledgeable care of our Earth and the inter-connectedness of all forms of life and the cycles of nature has led to depleted natural resources, water and air pollution, destruction of wild animal habitats and the loss of much of the Earth’s natural beauty.

Aware and concerned about our environment physically and spiritually, how do we, as artists, focus attention to the challenge of preserving, sustaining and protecting our planet? How do we help ensure the future of Earth’s blessings?

Juror: Ruth Weisberg:

Artist, Professor of Fine Arts and former Dean at the University of Southern California Roski School of Fine Arts and past CAA President. Ruth Weisberg received the WCA Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009 and the College Art Association Distinguished Teaching of Art Award 1999 among the many national and international awards and honors. Her works are in major museum and university collections including The Art Institute of Chicago; The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The National Gallery, DC and the Whitney Museum of American Art.

Of her recent major exhibition at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena and retrospective at the Skirball Museum, Los Angeles she states: I make art out of all aspects of my identity, finding in the process that art integrates my experiences, beliefs and heritage. I am particularly nourished by the history of art, the history of the Jewish people, and by the unwritten history of women.

I believe that art creates meaning and can be transformative for both the artist and their audience. I seek to create realms of the imagination in which the viewer can also project their struggles, stories, and desires.

Eligibility:

Members of the Jewish Women Artists Network (JWAN) and the Women’s Caucus for Art (WCA) are invited to submit up to three Jpg images of original work completed during 2007-2011 and not previously exhibited at a JWAN exhibit. Accepted artists must be a paid-up 2012 WCA member in order to exhibit. The JWAN entry fee does not cover WCA membership.

About the Women’s Caucus for Art:

WCA is the leading national organization for women in the visual arts professions. Founded in 1971, it has many chapters across the country and is an affiliate of the College Art Association.
WCA is dedicated to the cultural, aesthetic and economic value of women’s art. We encourage everyone submitting work to attend the WCA/CAA National Conference, February 20-27, 2012 in Los Angeles. We invite non-members to join WCA and participate in an activist community of women artists. Visit www.nationalwca.org for more information.

About the host site:

The arts play a role in the education of students at HUC-JIR. Through exhibitions and interaction with artists, the learning community of HUC-JIR students and faculty understand that the arts, like the texts of Jewish tradition, present another form of midrashic language, which has the power to express Jewish content and values.

Rules of Entry:

Follow directions and submit up to three entries of 2D works that can be hung on a wall no wider than 40” and entry fee of $30 on line at http://www.entrythingy.com/www.jwan.org

View the call for entries and further application instructions here and here.