Auspice NOW

ART GAL : BLK IRL {Black In Real Life}

A Virtual Exhibition of Self-Reflection, Resilience, and Communal Beauty

Across generations and throughout the diaspora, people of African lineage have faced erasure, distorted imagery, limiting stories and untruths about who we are. Despite these struggles, we continue to create our own narratives, in our truth–written, played, painted–on our faces and in our bodies; with our language and style; in our group chats and on our timelines; on the frontlines; in real life.

ART GAL: BLK IRL is a digital exhibition centered on now: how we see ourselves, how we hold each other, and how we choose to live in this moment as Black folx, worldwide. This call invites artwork that affirms Black life as it is today: complex, everyday, sacred, tender, joyful, tired, healing, still redefining, still thriving.

ART GAL is seeking artworks that engage with:

Self-reflection and honest self-portraiture (literal or symbolic)

Personal resilience: how you keep going, adapt, rest, and restart

Positive self-image and body image that honors real Black lives and features

Communal image: how we see each other, uplift each other, and show up together

Living in the present moment: groundedness, mindfulness, and being “here” now

Everyday Black life: small rituals, routines, softness, laughter, care work

Healing from internalized racism, colorism, texturism, and shame

Joy, play, and imagination as forms of resistance and self-definition

Your work can be subtle, loud, abstract, figurative, spiritual, humorous, or deeply intimate, as long as it is in conversation with self-reflection, resilience, positive image, and the present realities of Black life.

Who Can Submit
Open to artists worldwide

Priority to Black and Afro-diasporic artists (Afro-Caribbean, Afro-Latinx/Latine, Afro-European, Afro-Arab, continental Africans, Black folks across the globe)

Must be 18+

Accepted Media (2D Media Only)
All submissions must be suitable for online presentation:

Suitable for online presentation

Two Dimensional Artworks

Scanned or photographed at high resolution

No physical shipments. All work is presented in digital form

Submission Guidelines
While a minimum of 3 is required, each artist may submit up to 6 works for consideration.

Please include:

Artwork Files

JPG / PNG

72dpi, 16:9, 9:16, and 1:1 / Minimum 1920px on the longest side

Artwork Details (for each piece)

Artist-ArtTitle-Medium-Year-Size

Brief description (50–150 words)

Artist Info

Name and/or artist name
Location (City, Country)
Artist Bio (150 word max)
Email + Website and/or social media

Short Artist Statement

150–200 words on how your practice engages self-reflection, resilience, positive self/communal image, and/or living in the present moment as a Black person or within Black communities

Art Shop
Selected artists will have an opportunity to sell their artwork.

Submission Schedule
Call Opens: 12/8/25
Submission Deadline: 12/21/25 11:59 PM / 23:59 PST
Selected Artists will be notified by: January 15, 2026
Opening Reception: TBA February 2026
Exhibit Runs: February-April 2026

How to Submit
Visit [ ARTGAL.LA/ARTCALL ] to complete the submission form.

Questions? contact:

IG :

EMAIL : [email protected]

Last week, I had the privilege of shooting Lupe Fiasco’s music video for his new single “Cake” with my longtime friends from Impakt Studio Chris Adams directing & Hana Mitchell editing. There was a host of black film professionals on the set who were so connected that it only took us 5 takes to shoot it. Happy release day to everyone involved, especially Lupe! https://youtu.be/L_brIj-go8U

Lupe Fiasco - Cake (Official Music Video) Official music video for "Cake" from Lupe Fiasco's upcoming album 'Samurai,' out June 28thPre-order / pre-save 'Samurai' here: https://orcd.co/lupe-samuraiFo...

Get ready for the music video premiere of the most aggressive song you’ve ever heard about chilling out!

Auspice NOW production of GoldGrrl’s ”Take a Break Smoke a Fatty” premieres this Saturday, 4/20 at 4:20 PM!

https://youtu.be/ah8h_VrvpQ0?si=_wZiCVJFpnopqQhw

Take a Break, Smoke a Fatty (Official Music Video) Take a psychedelic trip down the rabbit hole into a stoner action-comedy set in the "Alice in Wonderland" universe.Take a Break, Smoke a Fatty is a stoner me...

Elastic Arts, (one of our favorite affiliates) is proud to present the first Dark Matter Series event of 2023 featuring Amyna Love & Azieb. Saturday, March 25 8:00 PM. BYOB

, , , , ,

Been a lot of great projects we’ve worked on this year, but this one we are especially proud of. Thank you , , and , for including us as a producing partner! Look forward to shining even brighter in 2023!
——————
Our film poster thank you, Tlazocamati to the festivals that created space for our story to be experienced by the public in 2022. Let’s see what 2023 has ahead ✨ IMDb page & film trailer are up Link In Bio ✨A stellar team of many creatives to be celebrated.

Wow! Our little film just keeps on keeping on on. Hong Kong and now Vienna!

Co-Produced with AuspiceNOW , .hues & Elastic Arts Foundation with support from Flores’ 2020-2021 Dark Matter Residency .

CONGRATS TO OUR CAST & CREW!
_____________________________

ASSAMAN, a Wolof word for The Sky, is a cosmic love story with the future told through a visual and sonic examination in search of flourishing joy and self-care. A kaleidoscope of introspective moments holding masculine and femine energies in sacred balance suspended in journey.

Created by Cosmic Twins Katrina Brook Flores and Mamadou Lamine Diao aka Tukkiman who share blood ties to Senegal and were born within 24 hours of each other. The film boasts an all Black, Indigenous, Black Indigenous & Latinx cast & crew.

Katrina Brook Flores, IndigiQueer Xicanx, Directs and Production Designs the film among another roles. Tukkiman is a singer-songwriter, composer and producer from Darkar, Senegal who provides the films’ soundtrack and co-stars as Tukki with Sojourner Zenobia (Asé) .

Produced by GIT Productions LLC & Tukki LLC through ASSAMAN LLC with Co-Producers AuspiceNOW & Elastic Arts Foundation with support from Flores’ 2020-2021 Dark Matter Residency . Special thanks to Lewis Studios where all soundscape and vocals were produced & recorded.

The film enlists the talents of DP Jonathan Woods , Senegal Location Associate Director El Hadj Abass Sow , Cinematographers Odin Magana & Chris Adams , Assistant Director Michael Manuel , Costume Designers Michael Kelly of La’Antonius Couture .couture , Bull Doff , Adama Thiam and Katrina Brook Flores, MUA Nicey J. of NJH Mobile as well as an incredible extended cast and crew from the US & Senegal.

It is our distinct pleasure to share the news that Assaman co-produced by Auspice NOW, with Sovereign Hues, has been accepted to the prestigious PANAFRICAIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL DE CANNES!

CONGRATS TO OUR CAST & CREW!

Co-Produced with AuspiceNOW , .hues & Elastic Arts Foundation with support from Flores’ 2020-2021 Dark Matter Residency .

_____________________________

ASSAMAN, a Wolof word for The Sky, is a cosmic love story with the future told through a visual and sonic examination in search of flourishing joy and self-care. A kaleidoscope of introspective moments holding masculine and femine energies in sacred balance suspended in journey.

Created by Cosmic Twins Katrina Brook Flores and Mamadou Lamine Diao aka Tukkiman who share blood ties to Senegal and were born within 24 hours of each other. The film boasts an all Black, Indigenous, Black Indigenous & Latinx cast & crew.

Katrina Brook Flores, IndigiQueer Xicanx, Directs and Production Designs the film among another roles. Tukkiman is a singer-songwriter, composer and producer from Darkar, Senegal who provides the films’ soundtrack and co-stars as Tukki with Sojourner Zenobia (Asé) .

Produced by GIT Productions LLC & Tukki LLC through ASSAMAN LLC with Co-Producers AuspiceNOW & Elastic Arts Foundation with support from Flores’ 2020-2021 Dark Matter Residency . Special thanks to Lewis Studios where all soundscape and vocals were produced & recorded.

The film enlists the talents of DP Jonathan Woods , Senegal Location Associate Director El Hadj Abass Sow , Cinematographers Odin Magana & Chris Adams , Assistant Director Michael Manuel , Costume Designers Michael Kelly of La’Antonius Couture .couture , Bull Doff , Adama Thiam and Katrina Brook Flores, MUA Nicey J. of NJH Mobile as well as an incredible extended cast and crew from the US & Senegal.

Elijah Jamall Asani getting ready for tonight‘s performance with Naydja Bruton & Millia 8pm at Elastic Arts!

ẹ̀bà

ẹ̀bà - birthed in chicago where the dark matter resides, the black flowers of elijah jamal asani, brandon markell holmes, and angel bat dawid find their wings as they converge into an ephemeral trio whose soul intentions are to summon new ancestral lineage to the orisha of music, ayan. named after the traditional yoruba term for fufu, each member of ẹ̀bà has grown solo reputation as composers in their respective artistic communities; though the prowess of each artist blossoms when combined, even with only a pair of improvisational performances as a troup.

Heard on 7/29

a ceremonial performance brought to you by the ubiquitous exploration of auspice now & the dark matter series

hearing is believing