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“In Praise of Shadows”

Artists have to represent the concept of Light and shadow both in idea and realisation.

CONCEPT OF THE OPEN CALL

The story of 'In Praise of Shadows' began with a fascination for the subtle yet powerful presence of shadows in art and life. Inspired by Junichiro Tanizaki's essay, which explores the aesthetics of shadows in Japanese culture, we found ourselves drawn to the idea of celebrating what is often overlooked—the shadow. In a world obsessed with clarity and brightness, shadows offer a counterbalance, reminding us that what is hidden can be just as significant as what is revealed.

We noticed how artists use light to bring attention to their subjects, but it is the shadows that add depth and emotion, often telling a story of their own.

With this theme, we aim to challenge artists to explore the interplay of light and shadow in their work, to see beyond the obvious and to find beauty in the contrasts. 

We envision an exhibition that not only showcases the technical brilliance of manipulating light and shadow but also evokes a deeper contemplation of the dualities in our existence—clarity and obscurity, presence and absence, joy and melancholy.

Length of exhibition and the platform.

  • The selected artists will be exhibited at Numero 51 Gallery in Milan, from October 2024 to December 2024.

  • The artworks will also be published on our website and social media platforms.

  • You can find the “open call kit” at the link at the end of the page.

What do we require?

  • Applicant informations (Your CV, social media accounts and a small portfolio).

  • One artwork per artist.

  • Pictures of the artwork, if the artwork is already existent (3-10 pics).

  • Project of the artwork, if the artwork is not already existent.

  • Description of the artwork or of the project with name, size, dimensions, materials, etc. (A short description of the artwork or the project, maximum 2000 characters).

  • Installation requirements (If your artworks are sculptures, installations, videos, etc. please specify the technical and installation requirements with us).

FOR ALL THE MATERIALS: NO EXPIRING LINKS. MAKE SURE THERE IS NO PRIVACY POLICY OR ACCESS REQUEST ACTIVATED, OTHERWISE WE WILL NOT CONSIDER THE APPLICATION.

What do we offer?

  • The space is free of charge for the artists and access to the public is free.

  • Jurying and artistic curatorship, installation of the artworks, and the installation views of the exhibition will be provided by the gallery, free of charges.

  • Artists will also be involved in all our promotional activities.

  • Part of the gallery will be dedicated to a limited edition shop, for which artists are welcome to create limited art pieces for sale (let us know in your application if this is something that might interest you and we will develop the editions together).

  • Everything we offer is free of charges but the production and the transfer (in & out of the gallery) of the artwork will be at your own expenses and responsibility.

  • We are eagerly awaiting your submissions.

Feel free to contact us if you have more questions.

Who are we?


Numero.51 Concept Gallery was founded in Milan by Julia Rönnqvist Buzzetti together with Andrea Deotto, with the desire to promote contemporary art from the East Asian scene.

Our goal is to always create site-specific projects in collaboration with the selected artists.

How to submit:
Deadline August 15th, 2024

Please send your submissions via email: info@numerocinquantuno.com

Selected artists will be notified by email.