Portals and Passages (2025)

The MVA Gallery (Modern Visual Arts) invites artists, photographers, and sculptors of all levels to submit original artwork to this exhibition. The call explores themes of portals and passages, including doors, entranceways, windows, corridors, streets, tunnels, bridges, and trails. These can function as physical, conceptual, and psychological points of arrival and departure, serving as symbolic entrances into other realms or signifying freedom, crossing over, spiritual paths, and life-cycle events such as birth and death. Artwork can be direct or complex, lucid or mysterious, restrained or dramatic. No restrictions on style exist; all genres and techniques are welcome, including representational, abstract, expressionistic, surreal, or personal synthesis. Accepted mediums include painting, watercolor, printmaking, mixed media, digital, pastel, encaustic, sculpture, fiber, drawing, and photography.

Submission is exclusively through CAFE (CallForEntry). Entry fee is $35.00 for 3 images, with additional images available for $5.00 each up to a maximum of 9 images. All images must be JPEG format, under 5 MB, with a minimum of 1200 pixels on the longest side. Artists must provide title, medium, size, price, and year of completion. Artwork must be professionally finished and ready for secure installation with stretched wire attached to the back. Maximum dimensions are 48 inches (framed) on the longest side and 50 lbs for paintings and mixed media; sculptures should not exceed 24 inches on any dimension. Photographs may be framed (48 inches maximum) with black or white frames preferred.

Notification to artists will be sent on or about April 4, 2025. Accepted artwork must arrive at the gallery no later than May 30, 2025. The exhibition runs June 5 - July 2, 2025. Awards include an "Art of Distinction" Award featuring a special exhibit, an Annual Grand Prize offering a New York City exhibition opportunity, and an optional Director's Choice Award of $200. Artists are responsible for all shipping and insurance costs. A prepaid return shipping label must be enclosed with shipped work. For sales, artists receive 70% of the final sale price.