Nota Gallery - "The Unrequested" Exhibition Call

Art has long been intertwined with systems of patronage, commerce, and consumerism, from the grand commissions of the Renaissance to the algorithm-driven trends of today. Yet, what happens to art when it steps outside these systems? The Unrequested seeks to examine this question, proposing a radical space where creativity flourishes unshackled from external expectations, market pressures, or the need for validation.

This idea is deeply rooted in philosophical and critical perspectives that challenge the commodification of art. As Boris Groys discusses in Art Power (2008), contemporary art often exists in a state of dependency on institutional frameworks and market systems. Groys asserts that true artistic freedom lies in the ability to operate outside these structures, engaging instead in acts of resistance or speculative exploration.