BAD ART: Kitsch, Camp, & Craft

Join us for both a celebration and examination of artmaking and work often relegated and dismissed as “BAD” by audiences and/or the establishment. Black Velvet Paintings. Camp Cinema. Pop Music. The tensions between High Brow and Low Brow. Art and Craft. “Insider” vs. “Outsider”. High Culture vs. Pop. 

This semester’s focus topic will also carefully examine who makes such designations? Who creates and maintains standards and how they often impact marginalized artists? As creatives, how do we address them in order to dismantle them? 

We are currently looking for both 2-D  and 3-D art , installations, text, and objects. Selected work will be on display on the 1st Floor of the Library physically October 2021-January 2022., as well as in a virtual version of the exhibit available online. 

 If you are not in the Chicago area or able to drop off physical pieces, we are also seeking some additional Web Exclusive offerings for the virtual incarnation as well.   Accepted artists will  be offered the opportunity (optional) to join us for a panel discussion in early October(date TBD) to talk about their work, resources, inspirations, etc. 

Deadline for submissions: September 10th, 2021

Drop-Off Delivery Dates :  September 20th-27th, 2021

Exhibit Opens: October 1st, 2021

Exhibit Closes:  January 14th,2022

Please send .jpeg of 3-5 pieces or media files to kbowen@colum.edu for consideration.

We welcome submissions from all members of the Columbia College and greater Chicago arts community.