Transformed

About the Open Call

Transformed is a thought-provoking art exhibition that explores the beauty and potential of repurposed materials, showcasing the ingenuity of artists who breathe new life into the discarded and forgotten. Through a series of sculptural works, installations, and mixed media pieces, this exhibition invites visitors to reconsider the objects that surround us, things we often overlook or cast aside and reframe them as sources of inspiration, narrative, and artistic expression. From industrial scraps to everyday household items, each artwork in Transformed is a testament to the idea that art doesn’t always come from new materials, but from reimagining what already exists. The exhibition features works that take seemingly mundane, used, and unwanted objects, such as old tools, broken electronics, recycled fabrics, and even trash, and repurpose them into stunning, thought-provoking compositions. Each piece in the show highlights the power of creativity to not only alter the physical form of these materials but to also shift their cultural and emotional significance. In Transformed, the artists challenge us to think about sustainability, consumption, that through art, something as simple as a discarded object can tell a new, rich story, providing insight into the connections we have with the objects we use and the lives they have lived before finding their way into the artist’s hands. This exhibition is a celebration of resourcefulness, creativity, and the ever-present potential for renewal in our fast-paced, throwaway culture. As you walk through the gallery, you’ll discover how objects once considered obsolete or meaningless can be transformed into pieces of art that speak to our collective past, present, and future. All original 2D or 3D work following entry guidelines will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery from October 31 – November 22, 2025. Juror: Jaynie Crimmins: Paper Sculptor and Artist Using Quotidian Materials to Create New Narratives. Jaynie Gillman Crimmins, a New York City based artist, creates alternative narratives by recycling quotidian materials. Her work has been shown at ART on PAPER NYC; and exhibited at the Sharjah Museum of Art during the Islamic Arts Festival in the United Arab Emirates; SPRING/BREAK Art Show, NYC; Governor’s Island Art Fair, NYC; the National Museum of Romanian Literature in addition to museums throughout the United States including the Muscarelle Museum of Art at the College of William and Mary, VA; The Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art [HVMOCA], Peekskill, NY; Hunterdon Art Museum, NJ; Zuckerman Museum of Art, Kennesaw State University, GA; Alexandria Museum of Art, Alexandria, LA. Crimmins has a long history of community work. Prior to the pandemic, she was volunteering in the Guggenheim Museum’s Learning Through Art Program. She is currently volunteering in a clinic helping support people seeking asylum. She is represented by Thomas Deans Fine Art in Atlanta, GA; K. Imperial Fine Art, San Francisco, CA and shows with the Elza Kayal Gallery in NYC, Front Room Gallery in Hudson, NY; Azure Arts, Art Lives Here and Paradise Palace in NYC. Juror’s Statement: To be published with the awards on November 3rd. Exhibition Schedule: Sep 3 Entry Deadline @ 11:59 PM, Oct 2 Notification @ 5 PM, Oct 21 – 25 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery 11 AM – 4 PM, Oct 31 Exhibition Opens, Nov 2 Virtual Awards Ceremony from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom, Nov 22 Last Day of the Exhibition; Closing Reception at MFA Circle Gallery from 4 – 6 PM, Nov 23 – 24 Pick-up Hand-Delivered Work 11 AM – 4 PM, Dec 4 Shipped Work Will Be Sent. NOTE: Should Circle Gallery be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

What is Offered

Awards designated by the juror total $1,000.

Requirements

All original 2D or 3D work following entry guidelines will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited. Delivery requirements: All work delivered to the gallery must have artist name, address, phone, email, title, medium (specific), and price affixed to the non-viewing side. Work must arrive on scheduled dates and be dry. Must meet size limitations. Shipped work requires a bar-coded shipping label (UPS/FedEx preferred, no USPS, no shipping peanuts), and packing/repacking instructions. Pickup: Work may not be removed early. Pick up on specified dates or after closing reception. Late pickups incur a $10/piece/week fine; work left over two weeks becomes MFA property. Liability: All work handled with care, but submitted at artist’s risk. MFA is not liable for damage or theft; artists must carry insurance. Sales: All work must be for sale (priced or POR). Artists retain 70% (75% for MFA Members); MFA retains 30% commission (25% for MFA Members). MFA handles sales tax. Sold artwork requiring shipment handled by MFA with costs from buyer; buyers asked if work can be retained until exhibit ends. Artists asked to donate 20% from direct MFA referrals within three months.

How to Apply

Artists are invited to submit 2D or 3D original work according to entry guidelines outlined in the downloadable prospectus. Accepted works will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery. All entrants will receive notification by email.