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Pulp Art Tribute show opening July 21st, 2012
Open Call

Artists will reinterpret and pay homage to Pulp Art.

Some examples of Pulp Art

Pulp magazines (often referred to as "the pulps"), also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s.  Pulps were printed on cheap paper with ragged, untrimmed edges.

The name pulp comes from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. Although many respected writers wrote for pulps, the magazines are best remembered for their lurid and exploitative stories and sensational cover art. Modern superhero comic books are sometimes considered descendants of "hero pulps"; pulp magazines often featured illustrated novel-length stories of heroic characters, such as The Shadow, Doc Savage, and The Phantom Detective.

Pulp covers were printed in color on higher-quality (slick) paper. They were famous for their half-dressed damsels in distress, usually awaiting a rescuing hero. Cover art played a major part in the marketing of pulp magazines. The early pulp magazines could boast covers by some distinguished American artists; The Popular Magazine had covers by N.C. Wyeth, and Edgar Franklin Wittmack.  Among the most famous pulp artists were Walter Baumhofer, Earle K. Bergey, Margaret Brundage, Edd Cartier, Virgil Finlay, Earl Mayan, Frank R. Paul, Norman Saunders, Nick Eggenhofer, Rudolph Belarski and Sidney Riesenberg. Covers were important enough to sales that sometimes they would be designed first; authors would then be shown the cover art and asked to write a story to match.

Characteristics of Pulp Art

Pulp illustrations traditionally had an action/adventure theme and are often set in the 1930s and 40s.  Submissions can be a modern day interpretation or pay homage to the vintage classics.  The background usually tells a story.  Most often, Pulp art places the character in action or indicates he or she is on an adventure.

The artists who created the cover images eventually got it down to a simple formula: one or two figures, usually a hero and a damsel in distress in bright colors. The cover paintings were the entire advertising campaign and sales pitch. There was tremendous competition and only several seconds to catch the reader’s eye.

Reference links for inspiration:
http://www.thepulp.net/
http://home.comcast.net/~pulpgallery/welcome.html

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Requirements:
Create a piece that is evocative of Pulp Artwork but not a carbon copy or literal rendition of any one piece. It must convey the essence of this distinctive work. Pulp compositions were thematically based on energy and color. Images must be more than just a repaint of a reference image. Size and media are unlimited.  Multiple submissions are allowed.

Artists will retain all copyrights to their submitted works.
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Submissions & Deadlines:

Final entry deadline: May 15th, 2012
All final entries to be emailed in high res 300dpi format.

Submissions to be sent to: submissions@galleryprovocateur.org

After selections are made, artists will be notified. Artists will be responsible for meeting gallery deadlines for artwork arrival, additional biography information for website and inbound/outbound shipping of work to gallery & a $25 entry fee per piece for the exhibition which will help cover all costs incurred by the gallery including insurance for the work during the 3 month exhibition run.

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About the gallery:

Gallery Provocateur is a not for profit gallery dedicated to promoting the arts and giving back to the art community with a low commission rate and nominal fees. The gallery is located in the historical landmark building, the
Congress Theatre. The avant-garde gallery presents provoking art in an innovative ambience. The intimate setting and tantalizing art, stimulates all the senses.


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About the exhibition:

The art exhibition will open July 21st, 2012 and will be part of the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival

Exhibition will run for 3 months. Gallery commission is 25%.
Exhibition includes, 3 month run of exhibition at gallery, 3,000 postcard mailer (postcards available for artists too), an opening weekend reception (featuring advance press review, black-tie barstaff, wine, refreshments and Hors DeOuvres'), press kits submitted to newspapers-magazines-television, live web broadcast of the reception (for overseas and long distance clients), and an online link to exhibiting artists permanently listed on the Gallery website (which receives on average of 20,000 visits a week), and last but not least...a closing reception/promotional event.

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