After settling into their new Calles Street space last fall after two years of operating as a nomadic gallery, the non-profit, artist/creative-run Austin space MASS Gallery announces plans to hand their gallery over to 2 artists this summer in sophomore year of the cleverly dubbed Hotbox Residency. Each artist can utilize the gallery as studio space for up to 5 weeks, between August 1 and September 6, with a focus on “nurturing projects that would not be realized otherwise” (read: fresh-out-of-grad-school folks in that odd gap between the incubator of the institution and the real world), though it is open to anyone at any stage in their career. The hope, MASS says, is to “ give artists the opportunity to explore new ideas or practices, and allow the participating artists to engage with the Austin community.” Last year’s Hotbox residents included Jill Pangallo, Jory Drew, and Jules Buck Jones.
All MASS Hotbox residents are required to participate in the gallery’s Close Encounters series which engages the public in some creative way. “Open and broad, this prompt can be approached from a multitude of ways: performative, passive, or completely radical in execution or thought, this program is a challenge to the artist, as well as the audience, and designed to provide a new way of encountering and understanding the creative process.”
Residents are given an honoarium of $800, however housing, transportation etc. are up to the applicant. Applications are due May 1.
