The Grand Valley State University Women’s Center is once again “calling” for art.

The Women’s Center annual Call for Art has begun. Winners have their art displayed for the entire year in the Women’s Center office, located in the Kirkhof Center.

“Not only do students get the notoriety of being in a juried art exhibition, but they also get their art, dealing with women’s issues, to be seen by people all across campus for an entire year,” said Jessica Playel. senior and curator of the show.

All student, staff, faculty and community members are encouraged to contribute their artwork.

“This art reflects a variety of experiences women have,” said Marlene Kowalski-Braun, director of the Women’s Center. “Past submissions have dealt with things such as relationships, body image, perceptions and women as agents of social change. The artwork really deals a lot with gender issues and gender justice.”

So what qualifies?

The center is seeking any and all forms of art, including sculptures, photography and paintings.

Submissions will be accepted until April 20, and the winners will be chosen by a jury consisting of Women’s Center staff and interns. If chosen, the winning artwork will be displayed in the Women’s Center for the entire school year.

“As we celebrate our ten year anniversary, we’ve really begun to recognize the importance of our space at GVSU, and the art we receive is very important in creating a dialogue within that space,” Kowalski-Braun said.

Playel said that the Center believes that the function of art is to challenge our perceptions and to help us create new meaning and understanding, and to give students a voice within the GVSU community.

“The Women’s Center is committed to using art as a form of expression for women,” Playel said. “The juried exhibit focuses on a small number of student works that celebrate and highlight women’s diverse experiences,” Playel said.

As well as the Call for Art, the Women’s Center also publishes a journal, “In Our Own Words: A Journal About Women,” to give a voice to women and students within the community.

There will also be a reception celebrating, exploring and creating a dialogue about the chosen art in September 2012.

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