METAL COMPLEXIONS is an exhibition of jewelry and metalwork presented by the Houston Metal Arts Guild (HMAG) in Houston, Texas. This year’s juror is Anna Walker, Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH). The exhibition will be held at the Jung Center in the Houston Museum District.

This exhibition celebrates the diverse field of metalworking through jewelry and objects. “Complexion” is defined as an outlook, attitude, point of view or the outward appearance of something or someone. The Houston Metal Arts Guild invites you to share your jewelry or objects that explore these ideas through the expression of metalworking techniques. Does your work express a particular perspective or viewpoint? Or does it showcase distinctive texture or surface qualities? Whether your work is wearable, utilitarian or an object, your contribution to the long and wide-ranging history of metalworking enriches the collective experience. 

ABOUT THE JUROR

Anna Walker is the Windgate Foundation Assistant Curator of Decorative Arts, Craft, and Design at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) where she is responsible for the exhibition, research and publication of the craft collection, the proposal of acquisitions, and the development of a long-term collections strategy. Prior to joining the MFAH, she was the Curator at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft (HCCC). She has lectured widely on craft and contributed essays for Metalsmith Magazine, American Craft Inquiry, and the 2016 Renwick Invitational: Visions and Revisions catalogue. Her most recent projects at the MFAH include the exhibitions In the Studio: Craft in Postwar America, 1950-1970, Materials and Meaning in Dutch Jewelry from the Museum’s Collection, and Mending: Craft and Community. Future projects include co-curating the forthcoming retrospective of fiber artist Olga de Amaral with Cranbrook Art Museum and invitational curator for the 2020 NCECA Annual The Burdens of History at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Virginia.

ABOUT THE JUNG CENTER

The exhibition will be held at the Jung Center, which is in the heart of Houston’s thriving museum district and less than a mile from MFAH and the Contemporary Art Museum Houston (CAMH). The Jung Center offers rotating art exhibits from emerging and established local, regional, and national artists. Located at 5200 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77002.

APPLICATION

The application is available on www.callforentry.org, and you can also access the link to this site through the Houston Metal Arts Guild website, www.hmag.org.

DATES AND SCHEDULES

Application deadline: Entries must be received by midnight (CST), NOVEMBER 30, 2019.

Notification via email: JANUARY 15, 2020

Accepted entries due: JANUARY 27, 2020

Exhibition dates: FEBRUARY 2 – FEBRUARY 28, 2020

Opening reception: FEBRUARY 7, 2020, 6-9 PM

Artwork will be returned to artist on or before MARCH 31, 2020.

ELIGIBILITY

This juried exhibition is open to all artists over the age of 18 who reside in the United States. All entries must be original designs completed within the last two years and not previously exhibited in Houston. Submitted entries are open to a full range of processes and materials including found objects, but they MUST contain a significant visual handmade metal element. Artists will provide a brief statement (200 words maximum) explaining how their entries address the theme of Metal Complexions. Entries may not exceed 30” x 48” in dimension nor weigh more than 75 lbs., including packaging used for delivery. Artists may not substitute another work for an accepted entry, alter an entry or the sale price, nor withdraw an entry after it has been accepted. All work must remain on display through the end of the exhibition. Artists are responsible for all transit costs (shipping and insurance). Accepted entries may be delivered in person or shipped. Any work delivered in person must be in suitable packaging for storage and moving or they will not be accepted. If shipping, the work must be shipped in a container it can be sent back in, along with pre-paid return shipping and insurance labels. HMAG reserves the right to refuse any entry that does not match the images submitted or meet the criteria enumerated here.

ENTRY FEE/IMAGES

There is a $25 entry fee for HMAG members and a $40 entry fee for non-members. HMAG membership is not required, but you may register to become a member on www.hmag.org. A maximum of THREE entries per artist is permitted.  Artists may submit one image and one detail shot (optional) for each entry.  Please remember that entries will be juried based on the digital images you submit, so take care that the quality of your images accurately depicts the quality of your entries. Please note: if you do not qualify your entry fee is NON-REFUNDABLE.

AWARDS

HMAG will award $1000.00 at the discretion of the juror. 

An award of $500 will be given for Best in Show, plus additional monetary and recognition awards. 

SALES AND INSURANCE

All works must have a sale price or be marked Not For Sale (NFS). If the entry is NFS, please provide an insurance value (50% retail). The Jung Center will facilitate cash and check sales and have a suggested 20% donation for the Jung Center. The Jung Center will provide the artist contact information for credit card sales. Please note that work cannot be deinstalled for any reason before the end of the exhibition, including trying on for purchase. Artwork prices may not be changed once submitted for jurying. Artworks are insured at 50% of retail value during the exhibition.

Application Requirements

Eligibility Criteria