INTERFACE A Call for Works About the Aesthetics of Technology

About the Open Call

Marshall McLuhan famously observed that “the medium is the message.” The forms and tools through which we create and communicate are never neutral—they carry their own aesthetic signatures, shaping both meaning and perception. INTERFACE is an exhibit about the aesthetics of technology, with a focus that includes the emerging trends of new media, but also historical ones. As technologies evolve, so do their looks and feels: business-like terminals, 8-bit pixels, psychedelic pulp, the charm and color of Y2K, even the rhythm and timbre of the never-ending streams in our pockets. Each shift reveals not only technological progress, but cultural mood, nostalgia, and projection into the future. Yet the aesthetics of our technologies are part of a longer story. Rasping marks in wood, a distinctive brushmark or smudge of oil paint, the crackle of vinyl, or the grain of film all remind us that technology—old or new—imprints itself on the art it makes possible. A screen of green descending code can signal both the bleeding edge of tomorrow and a dated vision of yesterday’s future. A brushstroke or etching line can equally assert the presence of the medium itself. As the digital world grows ever more realistic, while simultaneously fracturing trust in what is real, INTERFACE seeks to examine the aesthetics of technology across time and media. It is a call for artists to submit works that reflect on how the 'interface'—whether digital screen, analog tool, or material process—shapes both the appearance and meaning of what we see. The exhibit will be juried by an anonymous several-member panel of professional and academic advisors, with final selections made by the exhibit curator.

What is Offered

Exhibiting artists will receive a $50 honorarium and a chance to win one of nine $1,000 Grand Jury Awards. Accepted works will be documented in a high-quality hard-cover annual publication (MEA) with an option to purchase at half price, or receive free with a supporting membership. Artworks may be offered for sale with the artist receiving 70% commission.

Requirements

Entries must be original works addressing the broad theme of the aesthetics of technology. Open to all traditional and non-traditional genre and media. There are no size restrictions other than what can fit in the gallery spaces, and no timeframe requirements on when works must have been made. Accepted works must arrive gallery-ready, exhibiting good craftsmanship and professional-level presentation. Images for accepted works must be hi-res, print-quality. Artists are responsible for all shipping costs to and from the gallery. Works will be insured while on gallery premises, but not during shipping or for damage due to inherent flaws or presentation choices putting them at risk.

How to Apply

Complete the online entry form available at https://www.manifestgallery.org/season22/interface/entry/index.html. Pay the non-refundable entry fee of $45 for up to three entries ($5 for each additional entry) by U.S. check or PayPal. Upload digital image files to the project Dropbox (link provided after form submission). Images must be high-quality JPEG, no smaller than 1000 pixels in any direction, 72 dpi, and named as 'Lastname_Firstname_EntryNumber.jpg'. For video-based works, provide a direct link to a viewable online copy on the entry form and submit a single representative JPEG image to Dropbox. Ensure all communications reference the exhibit title.