This exhibition revives the tradition of correspondence art for the contemporary era, celebrating the tactile, personal, and collaborative elements of postal communication in a digital world.

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About the Project
"Inspirations in Transit" draws on the history of mail art, pioneered by Ray Johnson in the 1940s and formally named in the 1960s by Edward Plunkett. Through this project, we explore how artistic inspiration evolves when passed through the hands of another, creating a collaborative journey of reinterpretation.

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Participating artists will engage in a two-way exchange:

1. Initial Submission (Deadline: December 31, 2024): Email your 4x6-inch photograph accompanied by a brief statement explaining its inspiration and a brief bio(100 words max (both)).

2. Creative Exchange: The jurors will pair each selected submission with another. Artists will be contacted with their paired artist addresses to mail their original photographs to each other. (more info below)

3. Return and Final Documentation (Deadline: February 20, 2025): Artists mail the altered works back to their original creators.

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Artists are responsible for all mailing costs and for documenting the altered works before, during, and after in accordance with guidelines provided upon selection. There is no fee to submit work.

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Exhibition Details
The final works will be in an online exhibition on the TUSSLE project's website from March 1 to May 1, 2025. This exhibition will showcase the entire journey: the original images, the transformed versions, and the narratives that emerge from this artistic dialogue.

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Curatorial Focus
As curators, we are interested in:

• The dialogue between original inspiration and reinterpretation.

• The idea of appropriation and censorship when collaborating.

• The concept of ownership of an artwork.

• The role of physical exchange in fostering new narratives within creative practice.

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Submission Guidelines

• Format: 4x6 inch photograph printed on matte paper (color or black and white).

• Subject: Anything.

• Content: Must be appropriate for all ages.

• Statement: Include a brief description of your art practice and a brief bio (100 words max).

• Documentation: Artists will be responsible for documenting the altered works, following the provided guidelines once selected.

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Key Details

• Submission Deadline for initial image: December 31, 2024 (due to time constraints and the postal strike in Canada we are accepting submissions from US residents for this open call) (email your digital image (72 dpi with a pixel width/height of 2500) to laurahorne@tusslemagazine.com)

• Participation announcement by January 10, 2025 

• Artist Switch: Deadline to receive work - January 20, 2024

• Deadline for the return of the work to the original artist and final documentation: February 20, 2025

• Online exhibition dates: March 1 to May 1, 2025

• There is no Fee to Participate (once selected, artists are responsible for mailing costs)

• Artists will mail works directly to each other. Jurors will select pairings and provide the mailing information.

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This project celebrates the unpredictable and collaborative nature of creativity, challenging traditional notions of ownership while exploring reinterpretation and tangible exchange in a globalized digital age.

 

About the Curators/Jurors

• Laura Horne: Artist, curator, and founder of Tussle Projects. Laura specializes in pushing the boundaries of lens-based media, exploring innovative ways to expand the photographic medium's expressive potential.

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• Nan Ring: Painter, educator, and compelling interpreter of transience and beauty. Nan's works have been described as “paintings of uncommon narrative intensity... harmonized by her unerring sense of grace and her command of history.”

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Please submit your work and any questions to laurahorne@tusslemagazine.com.