Blue

About the Call

For centuries, blue has held a singular place in the artist's palette. Once rejected as barbaric by the Greeks and Romans, by the eras of medieval and Renaissance painting, ultramarine became an essential color. Drawn from the prized lapis lazuli, and reserved for the most sacred subjects, particularly the Virgin Mary's robes, it elevated blue to a color of devotion and transcendence. The synthetic invention of Prussian blue in the eighteenth century democratized access, while the nineteenth century brought cobalt and cerulean into widespread use. In the twentieth century, artists like Yves Klein claimed blue had an inherently metaphysical quality, creating his signature International Klein Blue, while, some decades before, Picasso's Blue Period used the color to explore melancholy and isolation. 

Site:Brooklyn is looking for contemporary artists who continue to investigate blue's emotional power and cultural role—from its associations with technology and screens to its role in discussions of climate, water, and the natural world. We are looking for artworks across all mediums that explore why blue remains one of art's most compelling colors.

Dates

Call Announcement: November 18, 2025
Final Submission Deadline: January 12, 2026 11:59 PM MT
Notification Letter: January 21, 2025
Online Exhibition: January 31, 2026 - February 28, 2026

About the Juror

Claire Voon is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn. Her work has also appeared in publications including the New York Times, New York Magazine, Artforum, ARTnews, Frieze, American Craft, Artsy, VICE, Atlas Obscura, Architectural Digest, Brooklyn Rail, Cultured, and Smithsonian Magazine.