Perfect Black: Visual Expressions of the Southern, Rural, African American Experience

Perfect Black: Visual Expressions of the Southern, Rural, African American Experience is a competitive, southeastern regional exhibition organized by the Webber Gallery of the College of Central Florida. The exhibition accepts artwork of any medium focused on visual expressions of the Southern, rural, African American experience, inspired by Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson's 2021 book of poetry, Perfect Black. Visual art of all types is sought to explore the personal viewpoints of Black artists from rural Appalachia and the American Southeast. The exhibition will run from November 6 to December 7, 2023, concurrent with a campus visit and programming including readings by Crystal Wilkinson.

Eligibility is open to artists residing in the Southeast U.S. (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN) who are 18 years or older. Work must have been completed within the last four years and can be in any medium pertaining to the show theme. The entry fee is $18 per entry for up to three images or videos. Submissions must include a minimum of one media file and maximum of three media files. Image files must be JPEG or video format, no smaller than 1200 pixels on the longer side, 72 ppi/dpi resolution, and 5 MB maximum file size.

The juror is Steve Prince, and five cash prizes will be awarded: First Prize $500, Second Prize $300, Third Prize $100, and two Honorable Mentions at $50 each. Notifications will be emailed September 28, with high-resolution image files and signed loan agreements due October 12. Shipped work must be received by October 26. A 10% commission will be charged on all sales. Artists assume all shipping costs both ways and must provide return shipping labels. All 2-D artwork must be properly framed or gallery wrapped and wired for hanging (no sawtooth hangers). 3-D works must be properly weighted. Artwork cannot contain toxic, flammable, or inherently dangerous materials and must include all necessary equipment and hardware for installation. All cords must be properly grounded with GFCI plugs. For questions about artwork display possibilities, contact [email protected].