Naturalist Gallery Square Format Collection

Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art is conducting a curatorial review for the Square Format Collection. Selected works will be presented online as part of a structured collection examining compositional structure, spatial balance, and formal constraint within square-format contemporary artworks. Accepted works will be listed for sale within the collection for a minimum duration of sixty (60) days.

OPEN CALL FOR EXHIBITION: Naturalist Gallery Square Format Collection

“The square is not a subconscious form. It is the creation of intuitive reason.” – Kazimir Malevich

The square format has occupied a unique role within artistic practice due to its balanced proportions and resistance to directional hierarchy. Unlike rectangular formats that imply movement or orientation, the square creates distinct spatial conditions that alter composition, perception, and visual equilibrium.

The Square Format Collection at Naturalist Gallery of Contemporary Art examines how contemporary artists engage the square as a formal and conceptual framework. Works may emphasize symmetry, tension, modularity, spatial compression, abstraction, or compositional balance within square dimensions.

Submissions are reviewed with attention to conceptual coherence, formal decision-making, and the relationship between image construction and format. Evaluation considers how the square operates as an active structural condition within the work.

This call is open internationally to artists working in all visual media, excluding video.

Collection Inclusion

Artists whose works are selected through curatorial review will be included in the Square Format Collection.

Selected works will:
 • be documented and archived as part of the Square Format Collection
 • be presented within the collection’s public presentation for a minimum of sixty (60) days
 • be made available for sale under Naturalist Gallery’s net pricing model

Optional Institutional Placements
In addition to exhibition inclusion, selected artists may be considered for optional institutional placements within Naturalist Gallery’s broader curatorial framework. These placements are discretionary and not guaranteed.

Available placements may include:
Featured Collection Placement – Selected works may be presented within the NGCA Featured Collection on the gallery’s homepage for a limited duration. Additional fee applies.
New Arrivals Curated Placement – Selected works may be included in the New Arrivals collection documenting recently reviewed artists. Additional fee applies.
Institutional Publication Inclusion – Selected artists may be considered for inclusion in a formally authored editorial publication. Additional fee applies.

Review Process
All submissions are reviewed by a panel consisting of members of Naturalist Gallery’s curatorial team. All submissions are reviewed; not all are advanced to public presentation.

Application Fee
Artists submitting work for review are required to pay a one-time application fee of $30.

TIMELINE:

Application Opens: 6/8/26

Application Deadline: 6/15/26

Jury Dates: 6/8/26 – 6/16/26

Exhibition Dates: 6/16/26 – 8/15/26

[Minimum of 1 Artwork]

[Maximum of 20 Artworks]

Submissions are open internationally to established and emerging artists aged 18 years or older.

All visual art media are eligible, excluding video.