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2016 FL3TCH3R Exhibit at ETSU accepting entries
Most artists do not like to be pigeonholed by genre, but many do strive – periodically or consistently – to make social and political statements through their work. The FL3TCH3R Exhibit at East Tennessee State University provides an opportunity for socially relevant expression, as well as a chance to support an annual scholarship for an ETSU Art & Design student.
This year’s FL3TCH3R Exhibit will be on display at ETSU’s Reece Museum Oct. 10-Dec. 19. Submissions will be accepted from visual artists through Aug. 22 and through an extended deadline of Aug. 31.
“Some shows do not want to categorize as exclusively exhibiting social and political work,” Wayne Dyer, an ETSU graphic design professor and co-founder of the annual exhibit said. “I understand that. But we have gotten lots of correspondence from artists who are tremendously excited about this exhibit – just because we are giving artists a chance to make statements. We are interested in what artists have to say.”
“Socially and politically engaged art has been integral in creative expression since the beginning of visual arts,” says Barbara Dyer, co-founder and co-director.
The FL3TCH3R multinational juried exhibit focuses on work with strong social and/or political content and “should reflect current issues that affect contemporary culture and investigate societal and political concerns,” the exhibit website says. In its fourth year, the exhibit was established in memory of the Dyers’ son, Fletcher, an ETSU bachelor of fine arts senior in graphic design who passed away in 2009 at age 22 in a motorcycle accident.
“Fletcher was the kind of person who liked to push you and push boundaries …” Wayne Dyer said. “He was pushing people’s buttons all the time.”
If submitted by Aug 22, a non-refundable fee of $40 is required for submission of up to three entries. Artists may submit additional entries in excess of three for an additional $10 per artwork/title. Extended deadline is August 31, 2016 ($45.00 for 3 works, $10 each add’l work).
The submission prospectus can be found at http://www.FL3TCH3Rexhibit.com/downloads/prospectus.pdf.
The exhibit’s proceeds, after expenses, will fund the annual Fletcher H. Dyer Memorial Scholarship for an ETSU Art & Design student.
The exhibit offers four main cash awards plus several other awards of honorable mention, including an Appalachian Artist Award, renamed in 2015 as the Sammie L. Nicely Appalachian Artist Award, in memory of Nicely, who was artist-in-residence at Reece Museum in 2014 and 2015 and died in May 2015.
For more information about Fletcher Dyer, visit http://fletcherdyer.com/about.html.
For more information about the exhibit and submissions, visit http://www.FL3TCH3Rexhibit.com.