NAGN launches ‘Booth’, an open call exhibition

Art is all about expression. Breaking boundaries, delving into the depths of our psyche, stirring us into action, or stopping us dead in our tracks when we encounter something beautiful.

Artists are often described as the ones who would paint outside the lines, the ones who didn’t follow the status quo, the ones who made their own rules.

The National Art Gallery of Namibia will be inviting artists to express themselves in the confines of 2X2 metre ‘squares of freedom’, meant to symbolise the booth.

‘Booth’ will be an open call exhibition calling on artists to submit works from all different mediums, be it 2D, 3D sculptures or ephemeral performance art.

“We are looking at the ideas around the restrictions that the booth will give you. It can draw from the ideas of boundaries, confines, categories, margins. Boundaries and borders are present in our daily lives, as people, and as artists, everywhere we go,” said Ndeenda Shivute, the curatorial coordinator at the launch at the open call for the exhibition.

But restrictions and boundaries don’t only have to be about physical boundaries as well, but also in more abstract forms, she continued, be it in the labels that are placed on us.

‘Booth’ is also a call for institutions to work closely with artists, either by providing studio space to create their work, scrap materials or whatever they have to offer to help make the work a reality.

The deadline for submissions is 5 February 2018 and for more information, call Ndeenda Shivute at 061 231160, email curator@nagn.org.na or visit nagn.org.na.