One Flew West: Old Landmarks, New Topographies

Call to Artists World Mad Pride Biennale 2008 deadline for submissions: May 23, 2008.

Local and international artists, both emerging and professional, are invited to participate in an interdisciplinary call for work addressing human rights and psychiatry, and mental health and arts.

Work must incorporate themes of place, surroundings, or (internal and especially external) location as it is related to mental health. The artwork may consider the following questions: How is madness tied to physical space? How do we situate dualities of freedom vs. confinement, separation/participation within evolving landscapes of madness vs. sanity? Healing vs. healed? What is the geography of breakdown? In what environments do we experience wellness?

Within the Biennale, this year's art exhibition incorporates the theme of Riverview. Opened in 1913, Riverview (also named Essondale) housed a population of 4630 in 1951. It is a controversial site and pivotal subject in the history of the mad movement in British Columbia, and as a subject within artists' work, a source of pain, survival, struggle, and healing.

If work is submitted specifically addressing the subject of Riverview, that work must be experiential, well researched and/or incisively felt and directed.

Submission Guidelines:

All artistic mediums will be accepted, including live performance, spoken word, painting, drawing, photography, video, sound, and new, mixed, and interdisciplinary media. Local artists should forward submissions in person, artists outside of Vancouver send as digital documentation (email jpeg files). Submission form can be downloaded from our website or request by telephone or email to madpride@gachet.org. If work is accepted we will provide shipping costs. Artist exhibition fees are also paid.

Objectives:

• Highlighting the global movement advocating for mental health and human rights through sharing and showcasing artistic _expression on these themes.
• Connecting artists' work that addresses the social determinants of mental health.
• Challenge stigmas of people living with mental health issues.
• Providing a forum for discussion and education on these issues.
• Creating links to the rights of individuals for health and security worldwide.

Timeline:

• Deadline for submissions of artwork May 23.
• Jury meets and selected artists notified May 25-28.
• Distribution of printed Mad Pride Guide May 29.
• Work must be received in Vancouver by June 6.
• Program (panel discussions, performance, readings, and film events) June 6- July 14.
• Closing Celebration & Mad Pride Day July 14, 2008.

A highlight of this year's Biennale includes our collaboration with SFU's Madness, Citizenship & Social Justice Conference (June 12-15). For more information

Cherise Clarke, World Mad Pride Coordinator,
Gallery Gachet
e: madpride@gachet.org | t: 604.687.2468
88 East Cordova Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6A 1K2
www.gachet.org