APAFA 2026

Description

OH Art Foundation Presents
4th Asian Pacific American Festival of the Arts 
Still After : Thread of Remembrance

Curated by: Yi Cao (Director of the Society of Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago)Location: OH Art Foundation, 2nd floor gallery of Zhou B Art Center, 1029 W. 35th St., Chicago, IL 60609Exhibition Dates:  May 15th 2026 – July 12th 2026Application Open: Feb 3rd 2026 - Deadline: March 29th 2026Opening Reception: Friday May 15th, 2026, 7pm-10pm
About the Exhibition:
OH Art Foundation presents 4th Asian Pacific American Festival of the Arts - “Still After: Threads of Remembrance” a group exhibition curated by Yi Cao. 
Still After : Threads of Remembrance  brings together contemporary AAPI artists who understand memory not as a fixed archive, but as an embodied, recursive, and unfinished process. For diasporic and displaced subjects, remembrance is often a form of labor—painful and necessary, but also rich with connection and discovery—carried through the body, materials, and acts of making.
 
We welcome work that traces the interwoven threads of personal and collective histories, intergenerational transmission, and memory in all its complexity. Whether reflective or exploratory, submissions should illuminate how memory is lived, shared, and transformed. Still After:Threads of Remembrance invites practices that heal, imagine, and hold space for what endures—and what flourishes.
Eligibility & Guidelines:

Open to artists 18 years or older
Must reside in the United States (Midwest-based artists especially encouraged)
All 2D visual media will be considered (painting, sculpture, photography, mixed media, digital, etc.)
Fee: $25.00 one-time applicant fee with up to 2 artwork applications 

Artwork Requirements:
Submissions may include, but are not limited to: paintings, drawings, photography, digital, and mixed media on the wall. Works should be thought-provoking, emotionally resonant, and relevant to the themes of the exhibit. All submitted works should be original, and artists may submit up to 2 pieces for consideration. No sculptures or installations.
Artwork Size Restrictions: Larger works are encouraged. All work must be no larger than 12 ft width x 10 ft height including frame and ready for wall hanging.
Shipping: Artists will be responsible for shipping and delivery to and from the gallery.
Art Sales: There is a 40% commission on all gallery sales
Participation Rules: By submitting your art to us, you grant Oh Art Foundation and Zhou B Art Center permission to publish your work in print, online, and on social media for exhibition and marketing purposes. All artwork will be attributed to the artist. By participating, you certify that you are the rightful owner of the art and that it does not infringe on any copyright violations.
About the Curator:
Yi Cao is a curator based in Chicago and Beijing. She develops curatorial projects that foster cross-cultural dialogue, exploring nuanced dynamics of culture, history, and identity, particularly as they manifest in “global” Asia. Yi is currently Director of the Society for Contemporary Art at the Art Institute of Chicago. Selected projects include If Shadows Could Shine (2024, apexart NYC), Liu Wei: Invisible Cities (2019, MoCA Cleveland), and Ai Weiwei: Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads (2016, Carnegie Museum of Art). Her bilingual writings have appeared in ArtAsiaPacific, Museum 2050, and artnet News, among others
About OH Art Foundation:
OH Art Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization found in 2013, currently housed in Zhou B Art Center in the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago, IL. The mission of the OH Art Foundation is to strengthen Chicago communities by offering accessible art education, exhibitions & events, and programs that promote understanding of diverse cultures through art.
We believe in the power of art to bring people together, creating spaces for dialogue and understanding. By providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, we aim to foster a more inclusive and equitable society.
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Join OH Art Foundation: https://www.ohartfoundation.org/join-us
About Zhou B Art Center:
Founded in 2004 by the internationally acclaimed Zhou Brothers, Zhou B Art Center was created as a site of exchange between local artists and the global art community while promoting the contemporary convergence of Eastern and Western visuality in the United States. Located in Chicago’s historic Bridgeport neighborhood, the Zhou B Art Center’s mission is to engage cultural dialogue through contemporary art exhibitions and programming with an international scope.The Zhou B Art Center provides galleries, studio spaces, and a collaborative environment to a thriving community of talented artists and curators. The purpose of the Zhou B Art Center is to nurture the creativity and growth of its nearly 50 resident artists while providing groundbreaking exhibitions open to the public. On the Third Friday of each month, the center hosts a free exhibition and open studio event where locals can explore the main galleries as well as resident artists’ studios. This event is the perfect opportunity for Chicagoans and tourists alike to support the numerous artists involved with the Zhou B Art Center.
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