The Grey Space in the Middle announces its new open call for the thematic exhibition, State of States. We invite young transdisciplinary makers based in the Netherlands whose practices engage with the intersections of art, technology and society to submit an existing artwork for consideration. State of States takes the form of a diptych, unfolding across two exhibitions.
Everything exists in a state – be it a state of consciousness, a state of ethics, a nation, a form of assembly, or a mode of existence.
This exhibition aims to explore the ways in which artists attend to the act of locating themselves within a state, whether in a political or more holistic sense of the word, informed by the fundamental reliance on digital culture, which in many ways mirrors but also contradicts the experiences of our reality.
What does it mean to belong today? How are communities formed, maintained or excluded? And what kinds of labour, technology, politics and personal choices are involved in defining where we stand?
For this exhibition series, we are looking for works that engage with these questions from a contemporary and personal perspective. We welcome different approaches, interpretations and positions that align with keywords such as: statehood, belonging, digitalism, inclusion/exclusion, space-claiming and network-systems.
The series will consist of two group exhibitions, taking place:
27 November – 6 December 2026 and 7 – 17 January 2027.
The selected artists will be divided into groups of five, with each group featured in one of the exhibitions, for which:
— They will each receive a fee of €375 as compensation.
— An additional maximum of €725 each can be earned for co-organising and participating in a context programme.
You can apply by filling out this form before midnight on September 25.
The form asks for:
— A 500-word-maximum description of the artwork.
— A maximum of 10 images of the exhibition piece.
— In the case of moving image or sound: recordings.
— A portfolio of the artist’s work.
— A link to socials/website.
Every selected artist is required not only to present their work within the exhibition timeframe, but also to collectively develop and attend a side programme, created during the months between the final selection and the build-up dates.
