Categories: Views

Artists’ Call Out

Call for art from women with lived experience of detention or incarceration who make art

Exhibition dates: 15 May – 12 June 2022
www.thehouseofsmalls.art

This is a call for submissions from women who create art as a release/response to having been restricted. This might include but is not limited to being held on licence in or away from home; incarceration in prison, secure units, mental health or rehab facilities; domestic abuse; involuntary servitude.

Due to the nature of this call, you may wish to remain anonymous and in this respect all that is required is an email address for communication purposes. Email addresses are not disclosed to other show participants.

THIS IS A 1/12 SCALE DOLLHOUSE PROJECT – PLEASE READ THE CALL DETAILS CAREFULLY.

This call is for all mediums of original small artworks inc 3D, photography and digital art (and a very limited number of prints of larger work). Unfortunately video cannot be accepted at the current time.

2D work should be within the maximum measurements of 5 x 5 x 0.5 inches/12 x 12 x 1 cm (to INCLUDE any mount/frame).

3D work should have a maximum footprint of 2.5 x 2.5 x 6(H) inches/6 x 6 x 15(H) cm – there is limited room for manoeuvre on this so please specify the exact size when submitting your work.

Although this show will be online only, it is a physical exhibition and works selected will need to be posted to The House of Smalls, a Cotswolds (UK) based project.

Please note that there will be a nominal fee of £5 per selected artist to cover return postage and materials.

Please click link in bio to submit work via Curatorspace OR email. If submitting work by email please include up to 3 images of the artwork you are submitting; the artwork medium, ie oils, collage, photography, digital sketch, sculpture etc; and the size of the artwork.

Whilst the early virtual galleries promoted by well-known art establishments, and subsequently smaller arts organisations, which sprang up during the worldwide lockdowns and restrictions were a great concept and provided access to art in the absence of open venues, I became frustrated by the repetitive and formulaic construct and high costs to submit/show work and felt compelled to somehow create an alternative – a physical, predominantly women-centric, interactive and affordable not-for-profit art space for connection in isolating times – to join the already established independent digital exhibitions and those latterly forced online by the extraordinary circumstances.

And so I bought a house. A very small house.

Since its inception, The House of Smalls has grown into a street – three galleries, Little Amy’s studio, a suitcase and tin bathroom. The Houses are thrifted from charity, resale and auction outlets.

As at April 2022 The House has held seven group shows exhibiting the small physical artworks of 150 women artists (170 artists in total) on and within its diminutive walls, addressing subjects such as mental health, dependence and addiction, menopause, anger, and the inner-self; and work has been received from 18 countries including Canada, Iran and New Zealand during this period of ongoing global trauma.

The words and language used in profiles are the artists’ own – it’s important to me that work is portrayed as intended by the artist and that what they want to say about their work and practice, however much or little, is said.

Much of the artwork exhibited is for sale and if you’re interested in purchasing/discussing any of the available pieces please contact me. No commission is taken by The House of Smalls and 100% of sale proceeds go to the artist.