Project Goal: To transform a physical artwork into a collective, textual work, challenging visual primacy and shared ownership.
I. Open Call for Artists
We are seeking three artists to contribute a small-scale, conceptually potent artwork designed to inspire deep textual interpretation. The successful artworks will serve as the catalyst for a three-month interpretive journey being hosted by three writers in their homes/studios.
A. Artist Submission Requirements
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Conceptual Artwork: Artists must submit an image of a work that has never been publicly shown and/or photographed and/or posted online or exhibited or seen by many. Please email an image of the work which will be used by the jurors only, not shared publicly. Please send a jpg of the work to laurahorne@tusslemagazine.com.
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Size Constraint: The physical work must not exceed 10 inches in its maximum dimension (including any framing or display mechanism) and must be ready to hang. The work must be able to travel well.
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Include a short bio, link to your website, and a brief artist statement (100 words approx.)
B. Artist Commitment
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Shipping: The artist will be responsible for the initial shipping cost to the selected Writer/Host. The writer’s/hosts will be responsible for sending the work onto the next writer/host in a timely fashion and ultimately back to the artist at the completion of the project.
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Visual Embargo: The artist agrees that the artwork will never be photographed or visually documented for public distribution by any party, for the duration of the project and indefinitely afterward.
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Intellectual Property: While the physical object remains the property of the artist, the artist agrees that the collective writings will constitute the primary public artwork for the project.
II. Open Call for Writers/Hosts
We are seeking nine writers, critics, or conceptual thinkers (three per selected artwork) to host the art for a one-month period and create the essential textual component of the artwork.
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A. Writer/Host Submission Requirements
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Statement of Intent (250 words max): Describe your approach to art criticism and subjective description. Why are you interested in divorcing a piece of art from its image, and how would you approach writing about an object you are forbidden from photographing?
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Writing Sample: provide a link to previously published art writings.
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Logistics Acknowledgment: Confirm your willingness to host the artwork for one continuous month and manage all associated logistics and costs.
B. Writer/Host Commitment
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Hosting Period: Host the artwork for one calendar month.
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Visual Embargo: You are strictly forbidden from posting any photographs, videos, or digital scans of the artwork publicly (on social media, websites, or private channels) before, during, or after your hosting period.
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The Act of Authorship: Within the hosting month, you will compose a single, substantial, original written piece (suggested length: 1,000–2,000 words). This piece must be emailed to Tussle before the work is shipped onto the next host or back to the artist.
Logistics and Cost: You are responsible for all shipping costs to send the artwork securely to the next designated Writer/Host. This must be completed immediately following the one-month period. The writer/Host agrees to have their writing published on Tussle's website and potentially in print at a later date. Please email any questions and/or your submissions to laurahorne@tusslemagazine.com.