University of the Pacific’s Reynolds Gallery is preparing to host “Dreaming of Equ>lity,” a virtual art exhibition.

Pieces must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 10. Any artist can submit up to five pieces that were completed after Nov. 10, 2019, a year prior to the submission deadline.

“We would love to get entries from other schools, the local community as well as national submissions to show the various currents that address equality,” said Marie Lee, associate professor of design and graphic art and a coordinator of the exhibition. She added that the exhibition is meant to, “Give voice to those striving for equality through their art so that they will educate the visitors through their work and make the world a better place.”

Virtual exhibition tours will be available starting Jan. 14.

The title of the exhibition was inspired by the role of artists in the protesting the many forms of injustice that permeate society.

“Social media have subtly started changing people’s minds and exposing inequities and stereotypes. All of the images and memes, these are pieces of art whether you realize it or not,” Lee said.

She cites the work of Kara Walker, an American contemporary painter and filmmaker, whose work explores such areas as race, gender and identity.

She also was impressed by a Black Lives Matter mural, painted on the 1600 block of Argonne Drive in Stockton for a Juneteenth celebration. To Lee, this work “showed the community spirit of activists coming together and creating something larger than life.”

This impact will translate to Pacific’s virtual format, Lee said.

“We can create the space to reflect the content rather than fitting the exhibition in an existing space,” Lee said.

Lee is working on the exhibition with Lisa Cooperman, university curator and assistant professor of practice. Cooperman recently helped launch “Going 2 Ground,” the Reynolds Gallery’s first virtual exhibition featuring faculty artwork responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cooperman and Lee also are working to present an exhibition of the Class of 2020’s works called “Vision 2020.”

“The exhibition openings are different from the in-person experiences, but not necessarily worse. The visitors get to meet the artists and hear them talk about the artwork in depth,” Lee said.

“Dreaming of Equ>lity” pieces will be chosen by the university curator, arts faculty and student curators.

To submit artwork

Submit to reynoldsgallery@pacific.edu. The attachment size is limited to 12 MB.

Digital images should be labeled with the artist’s last name and title of work.

They must be accompanied by a Word document or PDF with the artist’s full name, address and contact information. The document must also list the title, medium, date, dimensions of each artwork submitted.

Entries are open to all living artists. Each artist may enter up to five pieces of artwork that have been completed in the last year. Entries must be original in concept, composition, and execution.

The exhibition will be juried by the university curator, art faculty and student curators.

Contact Marie Lee with any questions about the Dreaming of Equ>lity exhibition.

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• Reynolds_Gallery on Instagram

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