Borges and Texas Call for Proposals

About the call for proposals 

ALMAAHH and Casa Cultural de las Américas are partnering up to select 20 contemporary artists from Texas to show their vision on the universal author by creating and exhibiting an outstanding tridimensional artwork including the figure of Jorge Luis Borges. Each selected artist will receive a bust of Jorge Luis Borges to intervene in their creative voice. 

Rules and Regulations:

1. Each artist must create a unique piece of art that includes the provided figure of Jorge Luis Borges and reflects the elements of the Borgean vast universe through the symbolic vision of contemporary art.

2. The conceptual artwork must be a minimum of 12” x 12” inches in its base. Any technique and materiales are accepted. The final work can’t be disrespectful to the Borges figure in any way.

3. The Borgean universe includes different themes and obsessions, such as the following:

  • The mirrors
  • The labyrinths
  • The library
  • The tigers
  • The chess
  • The Kabbalah
  • The mythology
  • Buddhism
  • The tango
  • Dreams
  • The Vikings
  • One Thousand and One Nights
  • The blindness
  • Algebra
  • Nordic sagas
  • The Argentine pampas
  • The rose
  • The Death

4. The artwork must be finalized and ready for delivery or pick-up no later than November 28, 2023.

5. The artists must provide a high-quality image of the artwork, its title, technique, and sizes before November 10th, 2023.

6. The artwork will be exhibited at the “Borges and Texas” gala, which will be held at the Rice University, Grand Hall on November 29th, 2023

7. Casa Cultural de las Americas will take care of all the artwork during the exhibition, set-up, and dismantling. Still, they won’t be accountable for any damage or robbery caused to the artwork.

8. The unsold artwork will continue in the custody of Casa Cultural de las Americas for three months. During that period of time, the artwork could be shown to other potential buyers or be part of some other institutional campaign.

9. Casa Cultural de las Americas will pay $1,500.00 to each artist once their artwork is sold.

10. The artists agree that their artwork can be photographed. The artists also agree that the photos of the artwork and their biographies can be published and distributed by Casa Cultural de las Americas as a part of its promotional campaign.

ALMAAHH and Casa Cultural de las Americas will be hosting a Spanish Webinar to provide more information or answer any questions about the call. Please register in this link to receive the access link. 

Webinar Date: August 1st, 12pm

To Apply: 

Send the following items in ONE email to:     ArtistOpportunities@almaahh.org 

And Register in the ALMAAHH Artist Census here

  • Name
  • Address 
  • Email
  • Website
  • Social Media 
  • CV/Resume/Bio
  • Statement of Interest (Why do you want to participate? What interests you from the Borges universe? What is your connection to the theme?) 250 words max. 
  • Proposed intervention (Text 150 words max. / 3 images max) 

Please note all documents submitted must have the following file name format: 

LastName_Name_File_Number 

Timeline: 

August 1 – Zoom Webinar 12pm CT register in this link 

August 16 – Deadline to apply 

August 24 – 25 Artist notifications and bust pick up 

August 25 – November 28 Sculpture creative work 

November 10 – High quality photographs 300 DPI 

November 28 – Deliver sculpture 

November 29 – Reception 

About Borges and Texas 

Jorge Luis Borges came to Texas in 1961 as a visiting professor for UT Austin, where he developed a deep affection for the state. Texas, in turn, embraced that affection and holds it unchanged to this day.

In 2023 and on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first publication of Jorge Luis Borges, Fervor de Buenos Aires, Casa Cultural de las Americas pays tribute to the great universal writer at Rice University, Houston, Texas.

Scale replicas of a Borges bust intervened by specially selected Texas artists will be exhibited and offered for sale during the event days. These three-dimensional collectible works, made from the figure of Borges, will reflect the view of our contemporary artists on the infinite Borgean universe, creating an intimate bond between literature and visual arts.

The tribute to Jorge Luis Borges will also feature a cycle of talks and conferences by experts in the writer’s work and ideas. We will have the presence of professionals from the University of Texas at Austin and the Jorge Luis Borges International Foundation of Buenos Aires.

Related links:

What is a book?

Borges by Daniel Bonevac

Writing the Impossible – Jorge Luis Borges

The infinity according to Borges