A four-week virtual/online residency with the Kolaj Institute in October 2023
Application deadline: Sunday August 28, 2023
During this project-based residency, the artists will collectively create a series of collages illustrating Kate Chopin’s 1899 novel, awakening. As a group, artists will analyze history, discuss themes, discover symbols, ask questions, and visually interpret text for a 21st century audience.
awakening centers on Edna Pontellier, an upper-class New Orleans woman torn between expectations and desires. At the start of the novel, Edna seems to live in a semi-conscious state, trapped in the mundane aspects of her life. As the story evolves, she encounters new people and new experiences that create an awakening shift within her. Edna begins to see her world differently, and through this lens, new relationships emerge while others become strained. In the end, Edna realizes that even though she has her own desires, she is still trapped by her societal role.
awakening addresses feminist, identity and societal themes of the 19th century that are still relevant today, such as; What does it mean to be a woman? What are society’s expectations of women? Are we bound to what we were born into? What does transform mean? What does patriarchy look like in 2023?
Nancy Bernardo will lead the residency, facilitate discussion about Chopin’s book, and talk about collage as illustration and how collage artists can engage with the illustration market. Christopher Kurts will serve as artistic director for this project and facilitate collaboration. Heather Ryan Kelley will talk about “The Midden Heap Project” in which she made a response collage to each page of James Joyce Finnegans Wake. Wylie Garcia will talk about the key symbols that set the tone of the story and how to question and reframe them for a contemporary context.
Digital work will be an integral part of the collaborative process but will not be a prerequisite for acceptance into the residency. We’ll talk about strategies for adapting your analog process to digital work as well as existing free and available resources. We also ask artists already able to use digital tools for collage to support artists who learn new skills during the residency. For artists considering working with a hybrid analog/digital process, access to a scanner is invaluable.
WHO IS IT FOR ?
Collage Artist Residencies are for motivated artists, at any stage of their career, who wish to develop their practice by exploring a subject or working method and collaborating with others to produce a final product. Residencies are open to any artist over the age of 21 from anywhere in the world.
COST
The cost of the residency is $500 per artist; however, no artist will be turned away for lack of funds and organizers will work with artists to build a financial aid package.
HOW TO REGISTER
Submit your application HERE.
RESIDENCE LOGISTICS
Dates: October 1 – November 2, 2023
SESSIONS DATES
Sunday, October 2, 1-2 p.m. EST
Wednesday, October 5, 4-6 p.m. EST
Wednesday, October 12, 4-6 p.m. EST
Wednesday, October 19, 4-6 p.m. EST
Wednesday, October 26, 4-6 p.m. EST
The residency will begin with an invitation to join the Slack workspace on Saturday, October 1, followed by a one-hour online meetup on Sunday, October 2, from 1-2 p.m. EST.
The introductory and orientation session will take place on Wednesday, October 5, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST.
Two sessions with guest speakers are scheduled for Wednesday, October 12 and Wednesday, October 19 from 4-6 p.m. EST.
The final session will take place on Wednesday, October 26, from 4-6 p.m. EST. The last deadline to complete the illustrations will be Wednesday, November 2.
Artists are required to attend all scheduled sessions and complete their assignments. The group will individually and collectively produce a series of collage illustrations. By participating in the residency, the artists grant the Kolaj Institute, Kolaj Magazine and Maison Kasini permission to publish the images in book form and in the promotion of the project and the book. Any original work produced during the residency remains the property of the individual artists with all rights retained.
APPLICATION PROCESS
The submission process asks applicants:
• Contact information
• Artist biography (50-250 words)
• Artist Practice Statement (50-300 words)
• 5-7 artwork images
• Statement of expectations
• Ask questions about your job and your needs
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions, send an e-mail.
For more information, visit Kola magazine