Prospectus

Inspiration for the Exhibition

Tell-Tale Tiles & Fractured Fantasies is inspired by the rich history of tile and mosaic art in the Philadelphia area over the past 100 years. In 1898, archeologist Henry Chapman Mercer began to make ceramic tiles in Doylestown, north of Philadelphia. Mercer is considered pivotal in America’s embrace of the Arts and Crafts movement. He said in 1925, “This so-called ‘literary’ side of the craft, this storytelling… has been my primary impulse or inspiration... But if tiles could tell no story, inspire or teach nobody, and only serve to produce aesthetic thrills, I would have stopped making them long ago.” Many local and national tile makers today owe their understanding of the craft to his legacy, preserved for perpetuity at the Moravian Pottery and Tile Works and at Mercer’s former residence, Fonthill, now a museum.

Similarly, Isaiah Zagar, a nationally acknowledged master of mosaic, has forever changed Philadelphia’s public façades with his 40+ years of ceramic and glass mosaic work, capturing neighborhood stories and adding a sense of community into a once run-down urban landscape. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens was formed as a museum to preserve and embrace Zagar’s legacy of community beautification through his relentless mosaic work. He continues to revitalize forgotten spaces with monthly public workshops, capturing community-reflective stories in the mosaics that clad over 100 city walls.

Description of the Exhibition

“Tell-Tale Tiles & Fractured Fantasies” explores contemporary tile making and ceramic mosaic as a story-telling medium in the spirit of artists Henry Chapman Mercer and Isaiah Zagar. The scope of the exhibition will be broadened to include social, political, personal and family stories.

The exhibition is co-presented by Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) and the Tile Heritage Foundation (THF).

The exhibition will be held at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, 1020-1026 South Street, Isaiah Zagar’s enormous mosaic labyrinth. The venue will provide a space for tile and mosaic artists from around the country and abroad to make powerful statements in their medium that are socially meaningful to both themselves and the community.

Eligibility/Media/Selection

Works submitted for this exhibition should expand the boundaries of ceramic surfaces using ceramic tile and ceramic mosaic to narrate the vision of the artist, offering a platform to embrace their own social, political, personal or family stories. Art works completed in the past 16 months are eligible for inclusion.

Works should be two dimensional and ready for wall mounting. Art works may consist of a choice of free-form shapes or individual tiles; panels of molded tiles (relief, bas relief, cuenca, cuerda seca, glazed, unglazed, hand painted or fired decals) together with broken or cut ceramic mosaic (with a small percentage of glass and stone) will be accepted. Jurying will take place by digital image review. Sixty to sixty-five pieces will be chosen for the exhibition.

Entry Requirements

Art works may range in size from 12” x 12” to 36" x 36" in any configuration. However, linear works should not expand beyond 36 inches. Works may weigh up to 60 lbs. Tile and mosaic works should be mounted on lightweight board such as FinPan. Finished art works may be framed or unframed. All pieces must be shipped with a hanging device attached. We suggest the EZ-ZBAR HANGER: https://zbarhanger.com/12-feet-long-zbar-hang.html

In addition each artwork submitted must be accompanied by a written narrative description of the story being expressed by the artwork. Narratives should not exceed two paragraphs and should be submitted in 12 pt. text as a Microsoft Word document. This storyboard information will be an integral part of the exhibition.

The Juror

Susan Tunick is a national spokesperson for the preservation of architectural terra cotta and an established artist living and working in New York. Her site-specific ceramic commissions include work in the NYC subway system, in the NJ Light Rail System and in several schools. She is the president of the Friends of Terra Cotta and has written extensively on terra cotta and tile, contributing to a renewed interest in the use and preservation of architectural ceramics.

Awards

$3,000 in prizes will be awarded.

By the Juror:

• Best in Show: $1000
• 2^nd Prize: $750
• 3^rd Prize: $500
• Tile Heritage Prize: $250

Special Guest choices:

• Spirit of Mercer Prize: $250
• Spirit of Zagar Prize: $250

Entry Fees

The entry fee is $45.00 from August 1^st thru December 1^st 2009.

The entry fee is $65.00 for a late submittal. Deadline: December 8^th 2009.

Application
Online application only via www.juriedartservices.com. Online entries must be submitted by December 1^st 2009 or by the late deadline of December 8^th 2009.
If your work is selected for "Tell-Tale Tiles & Fractured Fantasies," you will be financially responsible for the initial shipping of your artwork as well as the return shipping and in-transit insurance in both directions. When you submit your work for the exhibition, you must also include a pre-paid UPS or FedEx shipping label for the return shipping of your piece. (If your piece is sold, your label(s) will be returned to you.)

Application dates

August 1^st 2009 to December 1^th 2009

Late Deadline:  December 8^th 2009

Notification of acceptance:  December 20^th 2009

Exhibitors loan agreement: January 4^th 2010

Submission of Digital Images

Submit up to three (3) high quality digital images* for each piece you wish to enter, or two (2) images for one piece and one (1) image for another piece, or three (3) images of three separate pieces for the $45 fee ($65 if submitted between Dec. 2^nd and Dec. 8^th).

*Digital images should be 300 dpi, approx. 4” x 6” (1200 x 1800 pixels) in jpeg file format for publishing and jurying purposes.

An overall view in full frame showing the complete work is required. If you wish to submit more than one image per work, you may send close up or alternate angle shots of the work.

Each work submitted will need to include the following information:

1. Size in horizontal and vertical inches
2. Sale Availability (Yes/No)
3. Insurance Value (US $)
4. Retail Sale Price (US $)
5. Date of Completion (after 4/1/2008)
6.  Materials: (describe)
7. Techniques: (specify carved and/or molded tiles, cut or broken tile mosaic, majolica painting, ceramic decals, cuenca and cuerda seca techniques etc… See entry requirements above.)

In addition to a narrative description (see above), include a bio and artist statement.

You will be asked to enter these details on the application form page.

Insurance Liability and Shipping 
While we recommend that you insure your piece(s) for the entire time they are out of your studio, please note, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens (PMG) will insure all artwork for the duration of the exhibit including pre-hanging and post exhibit packing.  These dates are February 21^st through April 23rd. In the event of loss or damage, the artist will be required to provide documentation confirming the value of the work and the extent of the claim. NOTE: All pieces must be shipped in a reusable box. Use bubble wrap or shape-form foam to pack. Please DO NOT send your piece packed in loose Styrofoam pebbles or popcorn!

Sales and Commissions 
Sale price of artwork, if the work is available for sale, must be listed by the artist on the entry form. PMG and THF will retain a 40% commission on work sold during the exhibition dates. (Buyers must also pay city and state sales taxes in Philadelphia, PA.)

Calendar of Events 

Registration: August 1^st to December 1^th 2009

(Late deadline: December 8^th 2009)

Notification of acceptance:  December 20^th 2009

Exhibitor’s loan agreement received by PMG: January 4^th 2010

Accepted artists’ information distributed for exhibition promotion: February 2010

Receipt of work by PMG: a 3-day window, Feb. 22^nd to Feb. 24^th 2010.

Not before February 22^nd and not after February 24^th 2010.

Exhibition opens: Friday, March 19^th 2010

Opening reception: Friday, March 19^th(Some artists will be present.)

Pre-NCECA mosaic workshop: March 29-30^th presented by Isaiah Zagar, Master of Mosaic, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens. PMG (registration link to PMG coming shortly)

Pre-NCECA lecture at Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens on the influence of Henry Chapman Mercer: Evening of Tuesday, March 30^thpresented by Vance Koehler, Curator of Collections, Moravian Pottery and Tile Works. (registration link to coming shortly)

Special NCECA reception: Thursday, April 1^st 2010

Exhibition closes: April 19^th 2010

Remaining works returned to artists: April 23^rd 2010

Online Catalog (printable version when made available) 

Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens is a nonprofit organization that preserves the artworks of Isaiah Zagar and educates the public about mosaic and folk art. Fourteen years in the making, the Magic Gardens cover half a city block with myriads of tile, textures and color. By making art accessible, PMG seeks to foster civic engagement, community beautification and artistic collaboration. https://www.philadelphiasmagicgardens.org/

Tile Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting an awareness and appreciation of ceramic surfaces in the United States. In addition to educating the public about the rich and varied history of tile, the Foundation serves a major voice in the preservation of existing installations of rare and unusual ceramic surfaces while enhancing the visibility of contemporary tile work as well.

https://www.tileheritage.org/JoinTHF!.html

Membership in either or both organizations is encouraged!