Through Our Hands: An Eco-centric Perspective

The Holter Museum of Art is seeking submissions for the 2027 group show Through Our Hands: An Eco-centric Perspective.

We encourage artists to create a piece of art using recycled or repurposed materials and found objects. The whole piece does not need to consist of these materials, but they should be clearly featured. The artwork could also demonstrate the influence of human consumption and its impact on communities, both natural and social. We ask that you use Indian Flats (1999), featured above, as inspiration, whether in form, material, or spiritual ethos.

“This collaboration piece “Indian Flats” is the result of participating in a residency entitled “Artist Forest Community”, a program begun in 1996 and administered through a partnership between the Helena National Forest and the Holter Museum of Art in Helena, Montana. The program is designed to connect natural resources, cultural resources and communities, bringing artists and the forest together in meaningful ways. Artists of various disciplines are given remote forest cabins for one-week stays, and the residency is followed by a public extension related to the forest experience. The title, Indian Flats, is the name of the cabin where Terry and Sara stayed.”

Nearly every piece of this artwork is made from found objects or discarded materials. Only the glass boxes, filled with detritus, could be considered “new.” The butterflies in the center cabin were made from old cardboard boxes you’d find in a pantry. The plastic pieces and bottle caps were found outside around the cabin, and the encaustic colors were made from old wax. This piece is meant to be a monument not only to society’s pattern of overconsumption, but also to the possibility of creating something beautiful and giving purpose to what was once considered waste. 

This exhibition will be juried by the Holter’s Afterschool Teen Arts Council as a way to encourage and celebrate young and emerging artists.

Guidelines:

• All work must be display-ready, with hanging mechanisms or display methods considered.  Wall-hanging work MUST have a wire or hook mechanism installed on the back. The triangles on the back of picture frames DO NOT count as a hanging mechanism. Please add a wire. Pedestal work must be stable.
• Please provide images of your work. At least one close-up highlighting the details and one overall.
• One piece of artwork may be submitted per applicant. 
• This is a juried group exhibition
• The museum is NOT responsible for shipping costs or shipping coordination

Important Dates:

• January 31: Application Deadline
• February 10: Application Review
• February 12: Artist Notifications by this date
• April 16: Accepted works delivered to the Holter 
• April 30: Exhibition Opening Reception
• June 20: Exhibition Closes
• June 22 – 24: Artwork is shipped or picked up from the Holter

For any questions, please get in touch with Gianna Sherman, Curator, at gianna@holtermuseum.org or 406.204.3396.