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The Works Museum

Museum Exhibit Collaboration - Illuminating Identity: Light Tiles and Community Icons

Location: MN — Twin Cities Metro
Type: Call for Submissions
Categories:
Any discipline

Deadline: 11/01/2024

Other Criteria:
No entry fee required
Open to artists statewide
Paid opportunity

Apply

Background:
The Works Museum is a hands-on engineering and design museum. Our exhibits, programs, and design challenges engage kids in science, technology, and engineering and make learning memorable and fun.
This exhibit will explore the cultural and communal significance of light, symbolism, and local identity through the medium of magnetic tiles that visitors will attach to an illuminated sculptural base. Artists are invited to reimagine the light tile sculptures (pictured below) in a way that reflects the values, icons, and artistic traditions of the community. The exhibit aims to connect with local culture by incorporating meaningful shapes, symbols, and influences from local sculptures and light installations, paying homage to the area’s creative history and its most influential artists.

The STEM concept being reinforced through this exhibit is centered around how light shines (or doesn’t shine) through opaque, transparent and translucent materials.

Project Goals:
The primary goal of this exhibit is to create illuminated magnetic tile sculptures that resonate with the community by representing its cultural icons, symbols, and local artistry. Artists are encouraged to think beyond standard shapes and integrate elements that are meaningful and deeply rooted in the community’s identity. The exhibit will also highlight local sculpture traditions and artists who have shaped the visual landscape of the area, creating a dialogue between past and present.

Response Questions and Opportunities

We would love your input and creative vision for this exhibit. Please consider the following questions and opportunities as you shape your submission:

1. What icons or objects that hold positive meaning to your community?
(Share symbols, objects, or visual elements that carry special significance in your culture or local community. How could these be integrated into the design of the light tile sculpture(s)?)

2. If you had to pick an object to represent your community, what would it be?
(This could be anything from a local landmark to an everyday object. Think about how this object reflects the identity, spirit, or history of your community and how it can be used to inform the shape or structure of the sculptural base that the magnetic tiles will be added to.)

3. Change the shape of the light tile sculpture to represent something more meaningful to the community.
(How could the traditional light bulb shape be reimagined to capture the essence of a local symbol, object, or icon? Consider the form and structure, not just the light itself, as part of the storytelling.)

4. Incorporate references to local sculptures, light installations, and artists.
(Draw inspiration from well-known local sculptures or light installations and consider how these pieces reflect the community’s artistic heritage. Highlight local artists whose work has shaped the public art scene—how can their influence guide your design? This could include form, structure, or a creative use of light that echoes their legacy while presenting something fresh.)

Budget and Next Steps:
We are seeking collaboration and consultation from artists and the community for this exhibit, which is being fabricated and installed by exhibit design firm Process Curiosity in May 2025. This opportunity could be in the format of an artist consultation, or the creation of physical or digital works for the exhibit. Budget and compensation will be determined in consultation with the artist based on the scope and complexity of the proposed work.

Submission Guidelines:
• Artist Statement and Concept (500 words max)
• Sketches or Visual Representations (optional – up to 5 images)
• Portfolio of Past Works (up to 5 images)
• Artist Biography (250 words max)

Please submit all materials via email to Emily Kinny (she/her) at emily@theworks.org with the subject line: “Illuminating Identity Exhibit Artist Submission – [Your Name]”

All materials should be submitted as PDFs, with images included as JPEGs or PNG files (emails should be no larger than 25MB).

Submissions due: November 1, 2024. The review process will begin on this date, but entries may still be accepted afterward.

Budget and compensation will be determined in consultation with the artist based on the scope and complexity of the proposed work.