OPEN CALL:
In & Out of Balance
Opening Reception: 10/30/26 Fri, 6-8p
Meet The Artists Sundays: 11/8/26, 3-5p
Closing Reception Sunday: 11/22/26 4-6p
We invite you to submit work for consideration in our Drawing Rooms exhibit,
”In & Out of Balance”.
“In & Out of Balance” asks us to consider how visual weight, tension, and spatial harmony are managed within a work of art. Off-balanced works may predominantly be unsymmetrical, yet still maintain a sense of symmetry in part of the composition, or not. Symmetrical works mirror equal arrangements to create a sense of calm, order and stability. Within those works there may still be an element that is off balance, or it may be asymmetrical with unequal elements holding equal visual weight through clever use of color, size and negative space. Works may contain elements that radiate outward from a central focal point or axis in a balanced or unbalanced way. Deliberate weight shifts that make a piece feel precarious or unstable create visual tension. Off center focal points or clashing color values may create a sense of unease or energy that disrupt the expected composition. A sculpture may look like it might tip over, forcing the viewer to feel the risk of it being physically risky. Balanced works feel harmonious, anchored, stable, mirrored, poised, rhythmic and equitable. Unbalanced works may feel unstable, perilous, shaky, uncertain, fractured, tenuous, weighted or restless.
Many well-known artists deal with these ideas in their works including Richard Serra’s “Strike: To Roberta and Rudy”, Malevich’s “Self Portrait in Two Dimensions”, Andy Goldsworthy’s “Balance”, Tom Stodgon’s “Sandstone Overlap”, Piet Mondrian’s “Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow”, Helen Frankenthaler’s “Mountains and Sea”, Agnes Martin’s “The Islands”, Sarah Sze’s “Triple Point (Pendulum)”, Wangechi Mutu’s “The Bride Who Married a Camel's Nose”, Cecily Brown’s “Black Painting 2”, Amy Sillman’s “The Elephant in the Room”, and others.
Acceptable media for this exhibition includes painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture or any other fine art medium.
In keeping with our love of music, we couldn’t agree on a song about the theme of balance, so we scrapped that idea and decided to honor Dolly Parton. Of course we both love “Jolene”, and we also love “Here You Come Again.” When we looked through her songs the closest one that dealt with balance is “Halos and Horns”.
“Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns”
Artists chosen will also be considered for our other programs, such as The Art Project JC lobbies, and online Artsy.net exhibits throughout the year.
Apply on CaFE
Drawing Rooms art gallery at the Mana Contemporary complex in Jersey City is a project of Victory Hall Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization producing exhibitions, programs, and public art projects in the NJ/NY area with a national and international reach since 2001. www.drawingrooms.org
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
Meet The Artists Sundays: 11/8/26, 3-5p
Closing Reception Sunday: 11/22/26 4-6p
We invite you to submit work for consideration in our Drawing Rooms exhibit,
”In & Out of Balance”.
“In & Out of Balance” asks us to consider how visual weight, tension, and spatial harmony are managed within a work of art. Off-balanced works may predominantly be unsymmetrical, yet still maintain a sense of symmetry in part of the composition, or not. Symmetrical works mirror equal arrangements to create a sense of calm, order and stability. Within those works there may still be an element that is off balance, or it may be asymmetrical with unequal elements holding equal visual weight through clever use of color, size and negative space. Works may contain elements that radiate outward from a central focal point or axis in a balanced or unbalanced way. Deliberate weight shifts that make a piece feel precarious or unstable create visual tension. Off center focal points or clashing color values may create a sense of unease or energy that disrupt the expected composition. A sculpture may look like it might tip over, forcing the viewer to feel the risk of it being physically risky. Balanced works feel harmonious, anchored, stable, mirrored, poised, rhythmic and equitable. Unbalanced works may feel unstable, perilous, shaky, uncertain, fractured, tenuous, weighted or restless.
Many well-known artists deal with these ideas in their works including Richard Serra’s “Strike: To Roberta and Rudy”, Malevich’s “Self Portrait in Two Dimensions”, Andy Goldsworthy’s “Balance”, Tom Stodgon’s “Sandstone Overlap”, Piet Mondrian’s “Composition II in Red, Blue and Yellow”, Helen Frankenthaler’s “Mountains and Sea”, Agnes Martin’s “The Islands”, Sarah Sze’s “Triple Point (Pendulum)”, Wangechi Mutu’s “The Bride Who Married a Camel's Nose”, Cecily Brown’s “Black Painting 2”, Amy Sillman’s “The Elephant in the Room”, and others.
Acceptable media for this exhibition includes painting, drawing, printmaking, collage, photography, sculpture or any other fine art medium.
In keeping with our love of music, we couldn’t agree on a song about the theme of balance, so we scrapped that idea and decided to honor Dolly Parton. Of course we both love “Jolene”, and we also love “Here You Come Again.” When we looked through her songs the closest one that dealt with balance is “Halos and Horns”.
“Halos and horns, sinners and saints,
We're praised or we're scorned, we either run or we faint
Oh, but life is a challenge from the day that we're born
Just tryin' to balance halos and horns
It's heaven or hell, halos or horns”
Artists chosen will also be considered for our other programs, such as The Art Project JC lobbies, and online Artsy.net exhibits throughout the year.
Apply on CaFE
Drawing Rooms art gallery at the Mana Contemporary complex in Jersey City is a project of Victory Hall Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization producing exhibitions, programs, and public art projects in the NJ/NY area with a national and international reach since 2001. www.drawingrooms.org
EXHIBITION LOCATION
Drawing Rooms
926 Newark Ave. T101
Jersey City NJ, 07306
Closest PATH stop is Journal Sq
Free parking lot. Entrance is on Newark Avenue.
Drivers: turn into Mana/Topps building driveway.
