About Biggs Body
After years of successfully hosting juried art competitions for photographers and landscape artists of the Mid-Atlantic Region, The Biggs Museum is proud to introduce a new juried competition and exhibition concept of art forms featuring the human and animal figures. This exhibition will present art from all visual art media including, but not limited to: painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, craft, fiber, installation and video. The juried competition will select the top 50 - 60 works that most successfully interpret, evoke or respond to the body.
The physical exhibition will be accompanied by an online exhibition of the winning objects, an opening reception, juror talk, public programming and gallery sales of the submitted works.
Prize
A Best-In-Show Purchase Prize of $1500 will be awarded at the opening reception. The purchased object will become part of the Biggs Museum’s permanent collection.
Application Requirements and Eligibility
The Biggs Body competition is open to visual artists, both professional and amateur, from the Mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
Submission Process
Please submit all artwork for judging at BiggsMuseum.org/BiggsBody. There, artists will be required to:
- Complete the application form
- Upload digital images and video files
- Submit an artist statement of 200 words or less
The application fee is $35 and covers three submissions; each additional submission costs $10.
Alternatively, you can mail the application form and your artist statement along with a CD or thumb drive containing your digital images/videos directly to the museum.
Send Submissions To:
Biggs Museum of American Art
Attention: David Clapp
PO Box 711
Dover, DE 19901
All completed applications must be received by July 15, 2019.
Important Information
Image Files
Each work submitted for judging must be represented by a digital photo or short video. Do not send actual artworks. All judging will be conducted electronically, so the quality of the application imagery is vitally important. Only submissions following the proper format as outlined below will be accepted:
- Each submission must be titled/labeled with a combination of the artist’s name and object title to connect the image to the application form inventory.
- Send the submitted image sized and saved at 72 dpi by 900 pixels in longest dimension in JPEG format for viewing and at 300 dpi by 1800 pixels in longest dimension in TIFF format for
- Video artworks and artist installations can be represented in the competition by videos of up to 60-seconds. The submitted file should not exceed 10MB. A link to view your video online through YouTube or Vimeo is also acceptable.
Artist Statement
The artist statement of 200 words or less should present each artist’s unique point of view, describing how their subject, concept, format, medium and/or process contribute to the success of their intention.
Competition Contact/Questions:
Ryan Grover, Curator
302-674-2111 x 108
rgrover@biggsmuseum.org
Deadlines
- July 15, 2019 Applications should arrive at the museum
- August 1, 2019 Selection notification
- August 31, 2019 Last day to deliver or ship selected work to the museum
- September 6, 2019, 5-7PM Exhibition opening reception/announcement of purchase prize
- November 17, 2019 Exhibition closes
- November 19-23, 2019 Dates to retrieve unsold works
Notification and Delivery
All artists who have submitted works to the Biggs Body Competition will receive notification by email and through the online exhibition of the winners by August 1, 2019. Winning works must be received at the museum no later than August 31, 2019. The museum can accept shipped and delivered packages (UPS, FedEx, etc.) at:
Biggs Museum of American Art
Attention: David Clapp
406 Federal Street
Dover, DE 19901
Works shipped to the museum must be accompanied by a return shipping label.
What is Figural Art?
Figural art, for the purpose of this competition and exhibition, refers to any visual art form - from figurative to abstraction - that interprets, evokes or responds to human and animal bodies. While certainly not exhaustive, some good examples of figural art include: portraiture, figure studies, character studies, narratives and costume. Figural art can describe an actual being, an augment of the body or reference bodies, but artworks that embrace the figure to interpret larger concepts of identity and conditions of living within specific places and times may do better in this competition.
Artwork Specifications
All submitted works must be original and have been created within the past two years. Works exhibited in a prior Biggs Museum exhibition will not be considered. All objects and installations must be designed to be exhibited on the walls, on the floor, on pedestals or within cases. Works to be hung from walls must be constructed and wired on the back to accommodate installation using appropriate hooks, eyes and wires. Framing must be to professional standards. Cardboard backing is not permitted. Poorly matted or framed paintings and other art forms are subject to disqualification. Plain white, cream or light gray mats are preferred. Double matting is permitted for two-dimensional works under glass. Wall-hung objects submitted for this exhibition must be no larger than 60” in any direction. Sculptures and installations requiring bases, pedestals, forms and other display furnishing or equipment may need to be provided by the artist. Submitted videos may need to be accompanied with a player device. Biggs Museum staff may make recommendations to expedite these recommendations. The Biggs Museum reserves the right to amend a selection if supplied artwork differs significantly from its application image.
The Biggs Museum will insure the selected works against theft, damage and loss while on premises. The Biggs Museum reserves the right to reproduce selected works for educational and marketing purposes. Artists retain all other rights.
Works for Sale
Applicants must indicate prior to the selection process if their works are for sale. Artwork for sale must be priced by the artists. The Biggs Museum will retain a 25% commission on all works sold in the galleries with the exception of the purchase prize. Payments to artists will be made regularly throughout the exhibition period.
About the Museum
The Biggs Museum of American Art, opened in 1993, displays the growing collection of nearly 1,800 art objects, reflective of the Mid -Atlantic region. Founder Sewell C. Biggs, a Delaware native, amassed the core of the Museum’s art and antiques over a 60-year period, creating a focused art historical interpretation of the region. The Museum’s 25 galleries display a careful balance of furniture, paintings, silver, glass, ceramics, and sculpture in a timeline presentation from 1700 to the present. The museum’s permanent collection serves as the organization’s foundation for mission achievement: inspiring creativity, sparking curiosity, encouraging dialogue, educating visitors and creating connections among people.