Declaration/Declaración Call for Art |
Exhibition Information
The Las Cruces Museum of Art invites submissions for a Call for Art for an upcoming exhibition, Declaration/Declaración, a juried exhibition that considers the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence. It is scheduled to run November 6, 2026-March 6, 2027.
Declaration/Declaración, consists of two parts: 1) an invitational of four Borderland artists with ties to Las Cruces who will anchor the exhibition, and 2) a juried call for art by artists from throughout New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.
In this exhibition, we are particularly interested in artwork that explores the idealism, conflict, hope, and tension of this remarkable document. This can be approached through personal, cultural, historical or symbolic lenses. The goal of this exhibition is to pose questions about the founding of the United States as a nation and how its original promises outlined in the Declaration of Independence have played out over time. The exhibition will be a powerful investigation and expression of the diversity, complexity, and evolving story of the American experience.
The diverse history of New Mexico and the Texas Borderland provides unique opportunities for this exploration. The region’s governance by Spain and Mexico for over 200 years before it became a U.S. territory in 1848 laid the groundwork for a different American experience compared to the East Coast and Midwest. For this reason alone, an investigation of the meaning of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence by regional artists will offer a distinct vision-and provide an opportunity to consider a non-traditional history of the founding of the United States and how it plays out in this region.
We encourage you to revisit the Declaration of Independence for inspiration: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
To be considered, this submission must be completed in full on or before Friday, June 12 at 5 p.m. MDT. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. There is no entry fee for this call.
Declaration/Declaración, consists of two parts: 1) an invitational of four Borderland artists with ties to Las Cruces who will anchor the exhibition, and 2) a juried call for art by artists from throughout New Mexico and El Paso, Texas.
In this exhibition, we are particularly interested in artwork that explores the idealism, conflict, hope, and tension of this remarkable document. This can be approached through personal, cultural, historical or symbolic lenses. The goal of this exhibition is to pose questions about the founding of the United States as a nation and how its original promises outlined in the Declaration of Independence have played out over time. The exhibition will be a powerful investigation and expression of the diversity, complexity, and evolving story of the American experience.
The diverse history of New Mexico and the Texas Borderland provides unique opportunities for this exploration. The region’s governance by Spain and Mexico for over 200 years before it became a U.S. territory in 1848 laid the groundwork for a different American experience compared to the East Coast and Midwest. For this reason alone, an investigation of the meaning of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence by regional artists will offer a distinct vision-and provide an opportunity to consider a non-traditional history of the founding of the United States and how it plays out in this region.
We encourage you to revisit the Declaration of Independence for inspiration: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
To be considered, this submission must be completed in full on or before Friday, June 12 at 5 p.m. MDT. Incomplete or late submissions will not be considered. There is no entry fee for this call.