Sumi-e Society of America, Inc.
61st Annual Juried Exhibition
Eighth Worldwide Internet Exhibition
September 2024 - September 2025
http://sumieshow.org
The National Board of Directors of the Sumi-e Society of America, Inc. invite you to enter the 61st Annual Juried Exhibition - the Eighth Worldwide Internet Exhibition. An Internet Exhibition is a virtual exhibition in which paintings and calligraphies are not hung in a physical gallery but rather viewed on an Internet website. The Internet site will be online for one year enabling us to reach a much wider audience. The purpose of the exhibition is to publicly show the best current East Asian brush painting and calligraphy and to further the Society’s mission. A combination of cash and other awards, approximating $4,500.00 in value, will be awarded.
ELIGIBILITY: This competition is open to all artists.
Brush painting or calligraphy must be in Asian ink, or Asian ink and watercolor on rice* paper or silk.
*Generic term for those papers traditionally used for East Asian brush painting, but not limited to those containing rice fiber.
PAINTINGS & CALLIGRAPHY - Paintings and calligraphy must be the original creation and composition of the artist submitting it. Copying a painting or photograph by another artist or teacher, with a few details changed, is not considered an original work. No touch-ups, changes, or additions by another artist or teacher are allowed.
- Paintings and calligraphy must be painted within the last two years and not previously exhibited in a Sumi-e Society annual exhibition. Previous entry elsewhere is permitted.
- Entries will be accepted only from the artist, not by or through, agents.
NON-TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS must be executed with water-soluble Asian ink with or without watercolor on rice paper, gold and silver papers, shikishi boards or silk. The predominant element must be ink and direct brushwork on the base; however, techniques such as monoprinting, suminagashi, spraying, or non-relief collage may be incorporated. If you used one of these techniques, note it under Description.
CALLIGRAPHY other than signature or date must be accompanied by a typed English translation of the calligraphy on both painting and calligraphy artwork. Include the translation in the description field on your entry form.
IMPORTANT DATES IN 2024
June 24 …………...DEADLINE for entering at OnlineJuriedShows (log in on this page and click Enter This Show)
August 2 ………….NOTIFICATION of Acceptance - email reminder
Artist must open their Artist Profile at onlinejuriedshows.com
Check each artwork to see which artworks were accepted
and which were declined.
The following events will be on Zoom to allow more artists to participate
September 5, 6, 7 ……….PAINTING WORKSHOP with Dr. Shozo Sato on Zoom
September 8, Sunday …..AWARDS CEREMONY - 5:00 - 8:00 pm EDT on Zoom
with Remarks about the exhibition by Dr. Shozo Sato
September 2024 - 2025 --- EXHIBITION on the Internet www.sumieshow.org
JUROR, JUDGE and WORKSHOP INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Shozo Sato, distinguished artist and author, is an internationally known actor, director, designer, writer and painter. He is Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois and has received two Honorary Doctorates. He was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure with Rosette from the Emperor of Japan in 2004 for his contributions in teaching Japanese traditions around the world. Dr. Sato was the recipient of the Japan America Society of Chicago’s Cultural Achievement Award. His work in theater has garnered him numerous Critics Awards in the US and several international awards.
He has written numerous books on: Ikebana, Sumi-e, Shodo, Japanese Arts and Tea Ceremony. All are considered definitive works in English on these traditional Japanese arts. He founded and was the Director of the Japan House at the University of Illinois. For many years, he was Adjunct Professor for the Department of Art Theory and Practice, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and also on the faculty of the International Art workshops, teaching Sumi-e in England, Italy and Austria. Most recently he had a solo exhibition of his artwork at the Kannert Art Museum in Champaign, Illinois. He was originally invited by the University of Illinois for the purpose of disseminating Asian culture, and for this reason, has practiced and taught in many fields of art.
Professor Sato was born in Kobe, Japan and graduated from the Bunka Gakuin of Tokyo with a degree in fine arts. He studied Sumi-e, oil painting and traditional Japanese dance. He also received the title of Tea Master, Zakyu An Sensho from the Dai Nippon Chado Gakkai, the highest degree for teaching Ikebana from the Ryusei School and the Kabuki stage name of Nakamura Kanzo IV.
In the field of painting, he is a master of many subjects, naturally including flowers, but he is most noted for his Sumi-e landscapes. His many years in the US are reflected in his large ink monochrome works about the American West. With his brushwork, he has interpreted the southwestern desert, the Rocky Mountains, Canyonlands of Utah, the magnificent rocky coast of the Northwest and the Pacific Ocean. His large work, “The Fury of the Pacific” is a masterpiece of contemporary Sumi-e.
He now makes his home in Champaign, Illinois where he has established the Japan House and continues to share his knowledge of Japanese culture with students from all over the world.
The Art of Yugen
Since the early 1950's, the terminology of yugen or yugenism has become frequently referred to in art literature in the U.S. Zen Buddhism was brought to Japan around the 14th Century. Zen philosophy influenced all of the Japanese arts to develop in a new direction toward the concept of purity in minimalism. This expression can be highlighted in such arts as the Noh Drama; “kare sansui" [dry garden landscape]; the Tea Ceremony, haiku and obviously sumi-e. Minimally expressed art form means to eliminate unnecessary elements, leaving only the necessary core of the subject which will release energy to active empty space. This creates the concept of beauty called yugen. Common sense in human creativity is the tendency to expose the total on "100 per cent under bright light". However, in the case of yugen, the creator carefully reduces the amount of "light" to "shaded semi-darkness", in other words, 'minimal'. When an artist can express minimalism, this beauty can penetrate the active empty space to create the crystal of beauty. This is the art of yugen.
JURYING: Digital images will be juried for inclusion in the exhibition, using accepted standards of East Asian brush painting. Calligraphy entries will be considered for their artistic merit and not necessarily as a form of communication. This does not exclude classic calligraphy. No withdrawals, substitutions or price changes (except to NFS) will be accepted after a work is juried into the exhibition.
This competition will be conducted in three stages, based on accepted standards of photographic quality and East Asian brush painting.
1. The digital images will be screened for photographic quality suitable for a virtual exhibition. Images that do not meet the quality standard required for a virtual exhibition will be disqualified from further consideration.
2. Only images of artwork that meet the quality standard described above will be sent to the juror for consideration for inclusion in the exhibition, using accepted standards of East Asian brush painting.
3. Digital images of works will then be considered by the juror for inclusion in the exhibition and for awards. No withdrawals or substitutions are allowed once a work has been accepted.
ENTER THE EXHIBITION -There are two Categories - PAINTING and CALLIGRAPHY.
Artists may enter one or both categories.
MEMBER ENTRY FEES for Members of Sumi-e Society of America, Inc.
Paintings - 1 or 2 paintings for $40
Calligraphy - 1 or 2 calligraphy for $40
Painting and Calligraphy - $60 (1 or 2 paintings and 1 or 2 calligraphy)
NON-MEMBER ENTRY FEES
Paintings - 1 or 2 paintings for $95
Calligraphy - 1 or 2 calligraphy for $95
Painting and Calligraphy - $115 (1 or 2 paintings and 1 or 2 calligraphy)
(The Non-Member price includes SSA dues of $50 for 2024)
Fees cover all entries, up to two (2) per category, four (4) per entrant.
Pay through OnlineJuriedShows using PayPal or Credit Card. Entry fees are non-refundable.
DIGITAL ENTRY PREPARATION:
1. Works must be WET MOUNTED, SIGNED AND SEALED before photographing. Show only the image, no frame or mat in the photo. The digital image should accurately portray the original art. Be sure your images are rotated with the correct side up.
2. IMAGE SIZE must be listed to the nearest inch.
3. DIGITAL IMAGE SIZE must be at least 1920 pixels on the longest side at 72 dpi, but smaller than 4MB. Images must be in JPEG format, RGB color space. If you need help photographing your work or sizing your images click on www.OnlineJuriedShows.com/Help.aspx.
4. SUBMISSION - Go to https://OnlineJuriedShows.com.
Fill out an Artist Profile to register with Online Juried Shows or Log In if you registered before.
Click on “enter this show.”
Upload your artwork images one at a time.
Pay entry fee through Onlinejuriedshows.com
by PayPal or Credit Card.
5. HELP is available from the videos on the website, from OnlineJuriedShows (onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351) and from Sumi-e Society Board members.
6. EMAIL - Please add Services@OnlineJuriedShows.com and Manager@OnlineJuriedShows.com to your email contact list to ensure notifications are received.
ONLINE ENTRY DEADLINE: JUNE 24, 2024 All digital entries must be submitted online not later than midnight.
SIZE REQUIREMENT:
MAXIMUM UNFRAMED IMAGE SIZE: Unlimited
MINIMUM UNFRAMED IMAGE SIZE : 8” x 8”
Since paintings will be displayed on a computer screen, tall narrow or wide thin paintings will not present themselves well. Thus the maximum ratio that will be accepted will be 1 to 3. To calculate the ratio of the work, divide the largest dimension by the narrowest dimension. A painting that is 8 inches tall and 24 inches wide is 1 to 3. Since a computer monitor screen is a horizontal rectangle the ideal shape painting would have a ratio of 1 to 1.5. An artwork that is 20 inches by 30 inches is 1 to 1.5. This is the same proportion as a television screen. Works that exceed a ratio of 1 to 3 will be disqualified prior to viewing by the juror.
NOTIFICATION / ACCEPTANCE: AUGUST 2, 2024 - Notifications are sent through ConstantContact from onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com when results are ready to view. To ensure receipt of this notification, please add onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com to your contact list, or safe senders’ list. Artists are responsible for checking their Artist Profile at onlinejuriedshows.com.
CATALOG: The Exhibition Catalog of Award winners will be sent to all Society members. Additional copies will be available from the Sumi-e Society for $8.00 in the US, $10.00 to Canada and Mexico, and $15.00 outside North America by airmail.
PUBLICATION: Artists give the Sumi-e Society the rights to use the images of all submitted works in the print and digital publications of the Society.
SALES: All works on exhibit will be offered for sale, unless marked NFS. A donation of 15% should be made to Sumi-e Society of America, Inc for any work sold during and through the virtual exhibition.
WORKSHOP: There will be one three-day workshop online on Zoom.
September – 5, 6, 7 --- Painting with Shozo Sato
More information will be emailed to SSA members. Information will also be posted on the Society website http://sumiesociety.org.
QUESTIONS: If you have any questions about the exhibition, please contact:
Carole Yee, National Co-Chair
Rockville, MD
240-271-1944 (c)
clyee3@verizon.net
Carla Jaranson, National Co-Chair
Burke, VA
703-585-4750 (c)
carlajsumie@gmail.com
If you need help with your entries, contact OnlineJuriedShows at onlinejuriedshows@gmail.com or 888-666-1351