Group Exhibition: Safety / Luck

The Seattle based non profit organization and gallery, Center on Contemporary Art CoCA, invites visual artists and designers to submit original, existing artworks for the upcoming show “Safety/Luck”. “Safety/Luck” will feature artists who use safety materials in their work, ie. traffic cones, stop signs, reflective materials and caution tape. Open to all traditional and non-traditional genre and media, including 2D, 3D, etc.

The theme combines different approaches that a culture may use to protect its citizens. “Safety” comes from the American focus on keeping its citizens protected with safety materials: caution tape, instructional signs and reflective material. “Luck” comes from the Japanese tradition of attaining luck through charms, rituals and temples. “Luck” contextualizes “Safety”: while some America may be obsessed with safety, others cultures may have a different focus for protection entirely. The creator of the exhibition and lead curator, Michiko Tanaka draws from observations of growing up between Japanese and American cultures. Depending on the number of applicants, “Safety/ Luck” may also bump out to satellite spaces that the organization also curates such as The Collins Pub and Gary Manuel Salon. We also propose to do two workshops where attendees make good luck charms out of safety materials. Proposed locations for workshops are TBD. Submissions will be made through CoCA’s online portal and be juried by Tanaka, a CoCA curator, and invited panelist (TBD).