Patchogue Arts Council • Museum of Contemporary Art L.I. & Ma’s House present
Tales of Contact, Cultures, and Community
Curated by PAC• MoCA L.I. curatorial team & Ma’s House
September 14 – November 16, 2024
Patchogue Arts Council acknowledges that the land on which our space stands, at 20 Terry Street, Patchogue, NY, is part of the traditional territory of the Unkechaug Nation. We honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between Unkechaug people and their ancestral territories. We recognize the deep cultural and artistic contributions of the Indigenous peoples, past and present, who have shaped and continue to influence this land. We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we gather, create, and celebrate the arts.
Tales of Contact, Cultures, and Community
The movement of peoples whether by for social, political or economic reasons has often led them to lands already occupied by others.
Patchogue Arts Council in partnership with Ma’s House seeks to strengthen our collective community and histories through a special exhibition and collaboration. This open call and invitation to artists seeks works of art which tell the stories of the peoples on either side of human migration, the occupiers and the occupied throughout history. Ideas for performances, discussions, and workshops are also welcome.
All artists working in any media are invited to participate in this exhibition, special consideration will be given to Indigenous and BIPOC artists. PAC is committed to supporting all Long Island artists by advocating for and removing barriers to participation in career advancing opportunities and platforms for sharing work.
Submission Information
Submission Deadline | August 25, 2024
Artist Notification | September 1, 2024
Drop off | TBA
Artists working in all media are welcome to submit
There are no fees or memberships required to submit work
Important Dates
Exhibition | September 14 – November 16, 2024
Reception | September 14 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Coffee w/ a Curator | Lecture with curator and artists TBA
About Our Partners
Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. is led by Indigenous artist Jeremy Dennis. The house serves as a communal art space based on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation in Southampton, New York. The family house, built in the 1960s, features an artist residency program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), art studio, library, and hosts an array of art and history-based programs for tribe members and the broader local community. A not-for-profit, 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio Inc. was chartered in 2021 in the State of New York.
Since June 2020, Indigenous visual artist and photographer Jeremy Dennis has endeavored to restore the Silva family home he grew up in to make Ma’s House & BIPOC Art Studio (hereinafter referred to as “Ma’s House”) a communal and safe space for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) artists to create work, participate in artist residencies, and be offered a place to exhibit their contemporary work on the Shinnecock Indian Reservation.
The idea for the Ma’s House project came to Dennis after many of his anticipated residencies and exhibitions were cut short or canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lacking space to create work, Dennis reflected on his circumstances and that of other BIPOC artists in minority communities with compounded health disparities and economic injustices during this crisis who also lost opportunities and felt blows to their livelihoods and artistic practices. Inspired by the rise of social justice activism against police brutality, bigotry, and systemic racism and considering the unprecedented challenges artists who identify as BIPOC now face to follow their passions and have their work supported, Dennis hopes that Ma’s House will be a space for creativity, healing, imagining, and liberation.
