The BSB Gallery is concluding its open call for artist proposals for the Gallery’s G2 2020 Exhibitions. This is a great opportunity for Trenton artists (and others) to submit their artistic and curatorial schemes for its G2 Gallery Space at 143 East State Street. The official deadline for proposals is Sunday, January 5th at midnight, and preference will be given to Trenton-based artists. Last year, BSB Gallery received over 60 proposals from artists throughout the U.S., varying in a wide range of backgrounds in education, experience, and artistic mediums.
As before, BSB has competitive but user-friendly requirements for its selections, which are made by the BSB Gallery exhibition curators. Most importantly, their selections are based on artistic merit and conceptual strength. Set in a handsome open space with vaulted ceilings and large windows that allow for great natural lighting, the G2 Gallery is some 21 feet long by 12 feet and 7 inches wide. It can hold a range of exhibit types.
Áine Mickey, Curator, recently spoke of her hopes for the new year. “I’m really interested in representing more performance art in 2020. We don’t have a large performance scene in Trenton and I’m currently working on recruiting some performers from outside the city who I think would be a really vibrant addition. For my curatorial preferences, I have an affinity for contemporary sculpture, and complex site specific installations but particularly love seeing and connecting with work that has strong conceptual roots.”
Her colleague, Christy E. O’Connor, Curator, added, “I am drawn to process-based work and artists that use varying materials in exploratory and experimental ways. I am hopeful artists will be able to find innovative ways to use the G2 space to display their work, or be able to create site specific installations that will be able to utilize the space thoughtfully. Similar to my colleague, I would love to be able to represent more performance based work, as well as mixed media and fiber based, both sculptural and 2-dimensional.”
The Gallery Exhibition Curators require that proposals include how artists intend to utilize the space, mediums that will be used – for example, 2-dimensional art, video installation(s), sculpture, performance, etc. – and specific electrical requirements, if any. In addition, please specify if the proposed exhibition has been displayed before, or if it is still in the planning phase. If it’s currently in the planning phase, proposers must indicate how much time will be required to complete the exhibition for the public display. If there is a performance aspect to the exhibition, please indicate an approximate amount, type, and length of performances planned for the duration of the exhibition. Also, proposers must indicate if it is to be a site-specific proposal, or a general exhibition, as both will be considered.
BSB Gallery has been a key sponsor of artistic works and a major purveyor of local paintings, sculpture and other creations that has helped Trenton achieve an established reputation as a thriving artistic and cultural hub between New York City and Philadelphia. A 501-c-3 nonprofit, it is also an educational center that offers numerous artistic workshops and seminars on all aspects of creating art.
BSB Gallery is focused on the talents, opportunities and betterment of Trenton, so exhibition proposals need to include a description of the exhibit and explain the show’s intended purpose as well as why it will be valuable to the Trenton community. If you have any questions you can mail the Gallery at bsbgallery@trenton-downtown.com, or stop by the Gallery at 143 East State Street. Applications are being received at: https://forms.gle/9fZhbVr6STRHDjgm7. The deadline is Sunday at midnight.