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BmoreArt’s Picks: October 8-14

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This Week: String Theory artist talk at Motor House, Bishme Cromartie at Museum of Industry, contract workshop with MDVLA, Emerge Baltimore Vol. 3 opening reception at Bromo Arts Tower, Mai Sennaar book talk at Clifton House, A Night OUT with Iron Crow Theatre, Station North Art Walk, Sweaty Eyeballs Animation Adjacent variety show at Area 405, Siobhan O’Loughlin documentary screening at Submersive HQ, and Josh Kline’s opening reception at art hall — PLUS UNDER$2500 call for submissions from Maryland Art Place and more featured opportunities!

BmoreArt’s Picks presents the best weekly art openings, events, and performances happening in Baltimore and surrounding areas. For a more comprehensive perspective, check the BmoreArt Calendar page, which includes ongoing exhibits and performances, and is updated on a daily basis.

To submit your calendar event, email us at [email protected]!

 

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We’ll send you our top stories of the week, selected event listings, and our favorite calls for entry—right to your inbox every Tuesday.

 

 

< Events >

Bevy of Adorable Chicago Zoo Animals Munch on Halloween Pumpkins
 

String Theory | Artist Talk
Tuesday, October 8 :: 8pm
@ Motor House

String theory is a theoretical framework in physics that suggests that the most fundamental element of the universe are tiny, one-dimensional, vibrating strings. These strings are different shapes and sizes and vibrate on infinite numbers of frequencies. These elements are what create the uniqueness of our reality. The problem with string theory is that it is a purely mathematical framework. There are no experimental observations yet. We’re just going off vibes, essentially.

The idea behind this exhibition is to interrogate who we are, how we experience reality, through the lens of vibes. Intuition. Innate understanding. Bias. A gut feeling. Anxiety. Logic. Each piece in the exhibit represents an observation of reality. There are works that examine the natural word. Some are figurative works that speak to identity and relationships. A few of the works in the show are abstract and ask the viewer to extrapolate an idea on their own. Some are representations of actual theories of physics. At the core, each work demands that we look deeper, and experience our world as opposed to just observing it.

Each piece of work in the exhibit has its own vibe. The exhibit in whole is another vibe. The environment at Motor House while this exhibit is up is quite another vibe. String theory might not ever be proven. The same is true for a vibe. Sometimes, a thing does not need to be proven in order to be the truth. Experience String Theory at Motor House as a trust exercise and a way to get to know your world a little bit better.

Featured Artists

Rasheem
Rashid Cornish
Gaeun Kim
Abdul-Malik Muhammad Thomas Rafus, Jr. Marcia Wolfson Ray Toni Hornes Sullivan Cherokaree Tsalagi

 

 

Labor + Innovation: Fashion Designer Bishme Cromartie
Wednesday, October 9 :: 6:30-8:30pm
@ Baltimore Museum of Industry

Bishme Cromartie, winner of Bravo TVs fashion design competition Project Runway Season 20, kicks off Labor + Innovation, a series of candid conversations at the intersections of work and art.

Join us on Wednesday Oct. 9 at 6:30PM for an in-person discussion moderated by local radio/podcast producer Aaron Henkin.

Museum members are invited to a VIP meet & greet at 5:30PM.  Not yet a member but want to meet Bishme?  Become a member today!

Bishme Cromartie was born and raised in Baltimore, and says his mission as a Black designer is to encourage self-expression, advocate for representation, and shatter the expectations for people of color. He is known for dressing celebrities like Lizzo, Niecy Nash, and Andra Day.

Featuring thoughtful discussions led by everyday workers, activists,  and industry leaders, Labor + Innovation will delve into the complexities of modern labor and explore innovative solutions for a more equitable future. Thanks to moderator Cara Ober, executive director and publisher of BmoreArt, and series co-producer Cheyanne Zadia.

 

 

Contract Basics for Creative Entrepreneurs
Thursday, October 10 :: 1-2pm
posted by Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts

Have you ever agreed to collaborate with someone? Sell your work to a patron? License your intellectual property? Creating a contract is the best way to clarify how those things should work! Join Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (MdVLA) for a discussion on contract basics for creative entrepreneurs. MdVLA will present a workshop that will cover contract terms, rights granted, advances and more. Come and learn how to protect yourself and your work!

This webinar is available to the first 100 participants who register. A waitlist will be available.

 

 

Emerge Baltimore Vol. 3 | Opening Reception
Thursday, August 10 :: 6-8pm
@ Bromo Arts Tower

On Thursday, October 10, from 6:00–8:00 p.m., you are invited to an opening reception at the Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower to celebrate the solo exhibitions of Baltimore-based artists Sheila Crider, VILLAGER, and Shae McCoy. Meet and mingle with the artists, enjoy light refreshments and music, and see the work of these extraordinary creatives in Bromo’s historic galleries. The event is free and open to all.

 

 

They Dream in Gold: Multi-Sensory Book Talk with Mai Sennaar
Thursday, October 10 :: 6-8pm
@ Clifton House

“They Dream in Gold” is a love story rooted in the sights, sounds, and flavors of the African Diaspora, a cross-continental debut novel from Baltimore native author Mai Sennaar.

Join us at The Clifton House on Thursday, October 10th, from 6 pm to 8 pm, as we embark on a literary journey alongside protagonists Mansour and Bonnie, navigating love, art, and the nuances of their complex family structure.

Selections from the text will be read accompanied by Brandon Woody and a sampling of cuisines from the various cultures and cities highlighted throughout the couple’s journey. The reading will be followed by a Q&A session with the author Mai Sennaar.

If you would like to request accommodations, please email [email protected].

About the author:

Mai Sennaar is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. The Smithsonian Affiliate Museum of the African Diaspora, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, and the Classical Theatre of Harlem are among the venues that have presented her plays. Her short film Wax Lovers’ Playlist premiered at AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and was an Official Selection of the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival. She is the book writer for Carry On!, a new musical by Broadway composer Diana Wharton-Sennaar and the creative director of the performing arts company MWPLive. They Dream in Gold is her first novel. She lives between Baltimore and Dakar.

 

 

A Night OUT: A Blueprint for Iron Crow Theatre
Thursday, October 10 :: 7pm
@ Iron Crow Theatre

Join us on Thursday, October 10th, at 7:00 PM for A Night Out: A Blueprint for Iron Crow Theatre, a vibrant celebration of Baltimore’s only queer theatre! This unforgettable evening will highlight the vision and future of Iron Crow Theatre, a company dedicated to amplifying queer voices and reshaping the cultural landscape here in Baltimore City. Experience an immersive night of live performances, artistic previews, and a behind-the-scenes look at the innovative work that has established Iron Crow Theatre as a vital force in Baltimore’s professional theatre community. Of course, beverages and light snacks are provided.

Your support will help secure a sustainable future for Iron Crow Theatre, ensuring that queer stories continue to thrive without uncertainty. By contributing, you’re not just paving the way for more groundbreaking performances—you’re helping to create a self-sustaining artistic hub where queer voices are empowered to take center stage for years to come!

 

 

Station North Second Friday Art Walk – October
Friday, October 11 :: 5-9pm
@ Station North Arts + Entertainment District

This series of monthly self-guided tours of all the art and culture that Station North (near Baltimore’s Penn Station) has to offer is a grassroots, artist-led effort organized by community members and stakeholders. Spanning the neighborhoods of Charles North, Greenmount West, and Barclay, Station North is a diverse collection of artist live-work spaces, studios, galleries, rowhomes, and businesses, all just steps away from Penn Station and several higher learning and cultural institutions in the heart of Baltimore.

See below for venue list (coming soon)! Join us every Second Friday of the month for MONTHLY Art Walks in the neighborhood.

Check out the map for venues and create your own self-guided tour! Map will continue to be updated: https://shorturl.at/fuCV6

 

 

Sweaty Eyeballs: Animation Adjacent | Variety Show and Screening
Friday, October 11 :: 7-9pm
@ Area 405

THIS FRIDAY, October 11!!! Area 405 and BOPA FreeFall Baltimore presents Sweaty Eyeballs: Animation Adjacent, a group exhibition of expanded animation and artifacts from behind-the-scenes process, featuring animators from Baltimore and beyond. Curated by Corrie Francis Parks.

FREE! Variety Show & Screening
Friday, October
7:00 pm – Vaudeville Style Variety Show
8:00 pm – Animation Adjacent Film Screening

Artists / Performers include: Jim & Lilly Doran, Eva Grandoni, Eric Millikin, Bonnie Lander, Shelly Purdy, Kelley Bell, Collette Searls, Stephanie Williams, Amy Lee Ketchum, Tim Nohe, Corrie Francis Parks, Kat Navarro, Taylor Goad, Robby Gilbert, McCoy Chance

Artists’ Talk: Sunday, Oct 20, 10:30am-12:00pm
Show Runs: September 13 – Oct 20, 2024

follow along on instagram for sneak peeks!

 

 

Broken Bone Bathtub Documentary Screening
Saturday, October 12 :: 1pm + 7pm // Sunday, October 13 :: 7pm
@ Submersive HQ

Siobhan O’Loughlin performed her solo show “Broken Bone Bathtub” with Submersive in 2016 and 2019. As we have continued to develop our work and grow our reach, our fates have often felt intertwined.

On her last performance in Baltimore, Siobhan was recording footage for this vibrant documentary, which features members of our audience and other Submersive regulars. After a few years of post-production, the movie is now ready to be experienced!

Join us for this special local premiere and a chance to reconnect with Siobhan and the community that spontaneously arises from her work.

Evening screenings will feature a live performance by Scott Patterson of Afro House, and will be followed by an EPIC AFTER-HANG, all at Submersive HQ!

 

 

Josh Kline: Capture and Sequestration | Opening Reception
Saturday, October 12 :: 6-8pm
@ art hall

The videos in Josh Kline’s Capture and Sequestration center four iconic commodities made from materials that powered America’s rise as the world’s preeminent military, economic, and cultural power: sugar, tobacco, cotton, and oil. Through these materials, it is possible to trace the lineage of human-made global warming and climate change back through America’s global empire and the industrial revolutions of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries to the most painful parts of US history–the enslavement of Africans and the theft of Indigenous land. Pulling harmful substances out of the atmosphere and burying them in the ground is routinely discussed as a possible–but highly experimental–potential solution to the climate crisis. Suck the carbon out of the air and hide it deep underground. Through advanced technology, carbon capture and sequestration magically reverses the process that caused the crisis in the first place. What would it look like to apply this approach to other toxic atmospheres?

Created as part of Kline’s recent installation Personal Responsibility–which debuted at the Whitney Museum in 2023 and is currently installed at the Museum of Contemporary Art, LosAngeles–the Capture and Sequestration videos will be shown for the first time as a stand-alone, immersive, four-channel video installation. A group of related sculptures will accompany the videos. Capture and Sequestration is part of a larger cycle of projects about the politics and economics of the Twenty-First Century.

Josh Kline (b. 1979, Philadelphia) works in installation, video, sculpture, and photography. In his works, he questions how emergent technologies are being used to change human life in the 21st Century. Kline often utilizes the technologies, practices, and forms he scrutinizes–digitization, image manipulation, 3D-printing, commercial and political advertising, productivity-enhancing substances–aiming them back at themselves. At its core, Kline’s practice is focused on work and class, exploring how today’s most urgent social and political issues–climate change, automation, disease, and the weakening of democracy–impact the people who make up the labor force.

In 2024, Kline opened solo exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (until January 5, 2025) and Lisson Gallery, New York (until October 19, 2024); and was included in the 24th Biennale of Sydney and the 8th Yokohama Triennial. In 2023 the Whitney Museum of American Art presented the first U.S. museum survey of his work. Kline’s art has been widely exhibited in the United States and internationally, in exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art, the New Museum, and MoMA PS1 in New York; The Hirshhorn Museum and The National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C.; The Walker Art Center, Minneapolis; LAXART, Los Angeles; ICA Boston; ICA Philadelphia; MOCA Cleveland; Portland Art Museum; Moderna Museet, Stockholm; KW, Berlin; Kunsthalle Fridericianum, Kassel; Modern Art Oxford, UK; Yuz Museum, Shanghai; Louisiana Museum, Denmark; and MCAD Manila, Philippines, among many others. Kline’s works are included in the collections of major museums including those of The Museum of Modern Art; The Guggenheim; The Whitney Museum; and The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.

Josh Kline is mixed-race and Filipino-American. He lives and works in New York City.

This is his first exhibition in Baltimore.

 

 

< Calls for Entry >

Season 6 Halloween GIF by Friends - Find & Share on GIPHY

 

Chick Webb Memorial Recreation Center: RFQ
deadline October 11
posted by Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks

The Baltimore City Recreation and Parks Department is seeking to commission an artist to create a two-component art installation for the newly renovated Chick Webb Memorial Recreation Center that will open to the public in the Spring of 2025 The building is located at 623 N. Eden Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. The proposed art components include an exterior mural and a decorative crosswalk to be sited on the sidewalk between the school parking lot and the Center’s front courtyard (see links below for context map, aerials of the previous building site, and specific locations for the proposed mural and crosswalk). These components will complement an interior interpretative exhibit spaces that elaborate on the life of jazz musician Chick Webb, his contemporary collaborators, the history of the recreation center, and the East Baltimore African American community.

The deadline for artist proposals will be due by the close of business on Friday, October 11, 2024.

 

 

2025 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition
deadline October 13
posted by The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry

Submissions are now open for the 2025 Black Creativity Juried Art Exhibition. This annual show presents 100 outstanding works of art from professional and emerging Black artists from across the United States, as well as works by Black teen artists from the Chicagoland area, all as part of the Museum’s 55th annual Black Creativity Program.

 

 

Tabb Center Public Humanities Fellow
deadline October 22
posted by Johns Hopkins University

The Tabb Center will accept applications for our public humanities fellowship in the fall of 2024, with an application date of October 22, 2024. One fellow will be selected.

This one-year fellowship includes a stipend of up to $20,000, with an additional $5,000 available for programming or related expenses, and may potentially be renewed for a second year.

Public Humanities Fellows are non-institutionally affiliated organizers, artists, cultural workers, public historians, and knowledge-creators who research with and creatively interpret materials from the Sheridan Libraries’ rare book, manuscript, and archival collections. The fellow will create new perspectives on the archival and library collections, identifying and highlighting new connections between them and presenting them to the university community and broader Baltimore public in socially significant ways.

Fellows are expected to produce a deliverable based on research conducted within our collections. This could include interpreting materials through podcasts, audio tours, soundscapes, or oral histories, site-specific installations, virtual reality projects, interactive performances, community workshops, public talks, concerts, or other events.

Candidates will submit a timeline and budget as part of their application, including a start and end date. This fellowship may be, for example, a full-time 3-month fellowship, a part-time 12-month fellowship, or any other permutation. The spring semester (Feb to May) is an ideal time to access special collections materials, though these materials are available throughout the year.

 

 

Call for 2025 Bresler Resident Artists + Montgomery College Collaborative AiR
deadline October 25
posted by VisArts + Montgomery College

VisArts is proud to continue our partnership with Montgomery College’s Collaborative AiR for our September 2025 – January 2026 Bresler Residency.

During the September 2025 – January 2026 Bresler Residency, the selected artist or artist team will, in addition to fulfilling the terms of the Bresler Residency:

– Be embedded in the Rockville and Germantown Montgomery College Art Departments
– Receive an additional $3,000 stipend

 

 

UNDER$2500 Call for Entry
deadline November 1
posted by Maryland Art Place

Maryland Art Place (MAP) is seeking artists for UNDER$2500, our upcoming winter benefit exhibition & affordable art sale. The exhibition will include approximately 1-3 works by each selected artist (scale dependent – in the case of smaller works more than 3 pieces may be accepted). Each individual piece must retail for $2,500 or less.

Why UNDER $2500? In the last 2 years inflation has been a huge contributing factor to rising artwork sales prices. Simply put, the cost of goods for artists to create their art is far higher than it used to be. The majority of galleries consider the most important contemporary artwork value segments to be under $5,000–$10,000 according to ARTSY (2023.) It is with that in mind that MAP is presenting UNDER $2500 as affordable.

In our 12th year of the sale, we look forward to showcasing a more diverse and broader range of artworks. Artists are encouraged to submit works retailing in both the UNDER $500 and UNDER $2500 categories to include original works, editioned prints, sculptures and more.

UNDER $2500 is MAP’s winter benefit. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will be split 50/50 between Maryland Art Place and the artist. The event is ticketed ($30) however participating artists are welcomed free of charge.

UNDER $2500 is a hybrid, physical and virtual exhibition event. The physical exhibition opens Friday, November 22th from 6pm-10pm. Artworks may be purchased by patrons and taken off the walls on a first come first served basis that night. All works will be wrapped in brown paper with MAP’s signature holiday bow.

The virtual sale will launch the very next day, Saturday November 23 at 10 am and run through BLACK FRIDAY, November 29, 10pm. The virtual sale will include more artists than the physical sale. *Please note: applications received will be selected for either the virtual sale (featured online) exclusively, or for both the physical (featured in gallery) AND virtual exhibition (featured online). Your acceptance letter will indicate in which capacity your work will be presented.

MAP will maintain gallery hours Saturday, November 23 through Friday, November 29 on Tuesday – Saturday from noon-4pm for any remaining physical works that may be left for purchase. *MAP is closed Sunday & Monday.
 

 

 

The Portraits Project | Call for Artwork from Trans and Nonbinary Artists
deadline November 1
posted by The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC (GMCW)

is seeking artwork by trans and nonbinary artists to be included as part of the “PORTRAITS” project.

PORTRAITS represents through visual art, music, and dance, the spectrum of sexual, gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. Paintings, drawings, and photographs are welcome. The artworks may be a portrait or a scene depicting an aspect of the human experience, including identity expression and historical references specific to the LGBTQ+ community. Photographs of selected artworks will be projected as part of a live performance, brought to life aurally by music inspired by the selected artwork, visually by GMCW’s 17th Street Dance Company.

Artists may submit works from their existing portfolio, or the artist may submit a sample or sketch of a proposed work to be developed should the artist and their work be selected. If selected, completed proposed works will be due April 4, 2025.

If selected, the artist will give permission for their work to be included as part the PORTRAITS project to be used in perpetuity in performance as part of the PORTRAITS composition. The artist will also give permission for the artwork to be displayed electronically in perpetuity as part of the curated exhibit on GMCW’s website. Other than the usage described here, the artist will retain ownership and rights to their piece.

Compensation to the artist for selected works is $2,500.

Photos of artwork may be submitted to: gmcw.org/portraits/ no later than November 1, 2024. More than one work or sketch may be submitted. Artists will be notified of selection by December 20, 2024.

 

 

Cat Themed Art Show Application
deadline November 1
posted by Found Studio

Here’s what we are looking for:

Primarily 2-D art that will be ready to hang on the wall. We only have room to take a small amount of pottery/jewelry/3-D. If you have applied and been accepted into a show in our gallery in 2024 you may apply but *please note* that we are giving priority to artists who have not been in a gallery show in our space this year. We realize you might not have a cat themed piece ready at the time of this application. In that case just submit your website and photos of your work so we can get an idea of the style and feel of your work. The show reception will take place during our First Friday gallery show Nov 1, 2024 from 5-8 pm at Found Studio Shop in Baltimore, MD. Should you accept, we hope that you will make plans to attend and invite your friends and family.

 

 

Trauma and the Body
deadline November 18
posted by Tendrils

A new art and literature journal focused on trauma is seeking submissions of visual art and short-form literature for its premiere issue.

The first edition of Tendrils will explore the profound theme of trauma and the body—how it’s held, manifested, and transmitted in physical form. We invite creators to interpret this theme in their unique way, whether conceptually in abstraction, or more realistically.

All submissions will be reviewed by Rebecca Perez (Trendils founder) and curator Fabiola R. Delgado.

There is no fee for submission.

 

 

header image: McCoy Chance, Active Listening 1 - Room, Voice, and Sicarded Technology, Photo Courtesy to Lena McBean.

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