Barnett Newman The Promise 1949
Memento Mori: Time, Clarity and the Pursuit of Purpose
April 3, 2025 – April 26, 2025
Opening Reception Thurs. April 3, 6 – 8pm
Overview
As we turn the corner on the somnambulance of winter, and the awakening of spring glimpses closer, the concept of “Memento Mori” comes into high relief. Though its direct Latin translation, “remember that you will die”, implies a moribund focus on the inevitability of death, “Memento mori” concurrently insists on an examination of the fleeting condition that precedes said end: an invigorated and courageous life.
A favored and perennial tableau theme, “Memento Mori” motifs include skulls, hourglasses, and sputtering candles flickering a last light over fruits and flowers. Color field painting similarly traffics in existential contemplation. Both pronounce a tick-tick boom urgency to finding a purposeful and grateful existence and the extravagant waste of a life spent in the vain consumption of fleeting earthly pleasures.
Lastly, if time is a fleeting gift, and death inevitable, NYAE asks “are you truly living?” and invites its artist members and allies to submit works that inspire us to continuing treading the road of life doing what we know to be the right thing.
How to Participate
Entries must include current contact information (email, cell phone number, and postal/shipping address). Additionally, submissions will comprise up to three artworks per entry, and include a brief bio and artist’s statement. Images are to be submitted digitally – preferably in either a Word or PDF format (with images of the artworks either embedded in the file) and sent directly to the respective file upload section of this form. [Please Note you will need a Google or GMAIL account]
Form Link
Artwork images must include complete caption information, noting the title, size, media, and date of production of each artwork. Submissions may be paintings, drawings, mixed media works, prints, photographs, or sculpture. We encourage submission of all sized works up to 45 inches in any dimension (including frame). Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed.
There is a $35 curatorial processing fee ($15 for Equity members in good standing). For questions about current membership status send a separate email to info@nyartists.org using the subject line “check my membership”. Include your full name, email contact information and cell number in the body of email.
Deadline for entries is Sun., Mar 16th, 2025. Artists chosen for the exhibition will be notified by Fri. Mar. 21st, 2025. Works are to be dropped off at Equity Gallery on Sun Mar. 30 and Mon. Mar. 31 from 1 – 4pm. Shipped works must arrive at the gallery, packed with a return shipping label, by Fri. Mar. 28th. Please no exceptions.
Additional Contractual Obligations for Participating Artist
Participating artists must agree to adhere to the deadlines and show dates noted in this prospectus. Accepted works must remain on site for the duration of the exhibition and be available for sale.
During the exhibition’s run and for three months after the closing date, Equity Gallery shall retain a 50% commission of the final retail price of all exhibited works.
For further clarification or questions email Michael Gormley, Executive Director, NYAE at michael@nyartistsequity.org