On Display June 26 – July 26, 2025

Opening Reception will be July 8th from 5 – 7 PM

Closing Reception will be July 26th from 4 – 6 PM

Work on Display   Artists on Display   Watch The Virtual Awards Ceremony

Introducing Interwoven Worlds: Art of APIMEDA Diasporas

Maryland Federation of Art (MFA) and the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University (AA&CC) invites APIMEDA (Asian, Pacific Islander, Middle Eastern, and Desi American) artists to share works that express their cultural heritage, reflect cross-cultural influences, and/or convey/incorporate their unique American experiences. Any original 2D and 3D artwork in any media will be considered. Works selected by the juror will be exhibited in MFA’s Circle Gallery in Annapolis from June 26 – July 26, 2025.

The acronym APIMEDA was coined by the Coalition for Critical Asian American Studies (CCAAS) at the University of California – San Diego, and has been adopted by academic institutions and other organizations to be a more inclusive and intersectional alternative to the umbrella term of “Asian American.” While reflecting a diverse range of ethnic, cultural and national backgrounds, APIMEDA also acknowledges the common experiences and overlapping identities shared within this diaspora.

Click this icon to view and print the downloadable prospectus.

Juror: Nerissa Paglinauan: Program Manager, Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University

Born in Baltimore to Filipino immigrants, Nerissa Paglinauan is in her 13th year as Program Manager of the Asian Arts & Culture Center at Towson University where she engages audiences through diverse exhibitions and programs. During that time, she has curated or co-curated 12 group exhibitions, including the annual Asia North exhibition held in Baltimore’s Station North Arts District, all with the focus of centering underrepresented APIMEDA cultures, stories and experiences. Through these group shows, the AA&CC has developed a deep and diverse network of APIMEDA artists based in the Greater Baltimore and DMV region. In 2013, she helped organize Art Filipino: Works by Master Artists, AA&CC’s first exhibition featuring all Filipino artists, with works on loan from the collection of the Philippine Center New York, and from local collectors in the DMV. Paglinauan holds B.A. degrees in Music and Child Development from Tufts University.

Juror’s Statement

I am honored to serve as juror for Interwoven Worlds and deeply grateful to the MFA for inviting Towson University’s Asian Arts & Culture Center (AA&CC) to collaborate on this meaningful project. As the MFA’s first exhibition dedicated to showcasing artists from APIMEDA (Asian Pacific Islander Middle Eastern Desi American) diasporas, this show continues the AA&CC’s mission to center underrepresented APIMEDA stories and experiences.

The selected works span a wide range of media, themes, and aesthetics. Some engage deeply with the artists’ cultural and historical roots—at times exploring layers of intersectionality—while others focus on subjects not explicitly tied to identity. I was particularly drawn to works that demonstrated a bold command of their medium: pieces that were traditionally beautiful, those that provoked discomfort or raised questions prompting return viewings, and those that resonated with me emotionally as someone who comes from an immigrant background.

This exhibition does not attempt to define a singular community. Rather, it illuminates both the diversity of individual experiences and the common threads that bind them. It invites viewers to move beyond reductive labels, to engage with each work on its own terms, and to celebrate the richness of artistic voices that flourish at the intersections of culture, geography, and imagination.

Awards

Juror’s Choice

  • The Bride by Manal Deeb
  • Remembering Vincent by Susanna Eisenman
  • Quod Me Nutrit Me Destruit by Rowena Finn
  • The Way Home by Yoomee Ko
  • Slide by YI Wang

 Honorable Mention

  • Facial Identity by Esperanza Alzona
  • Solitude by Esperanza Alzona
  • Lane by Gloria Tseng Fischer
  • My American Mixed Experience by Celeste Wong

*Award contributors and recipients will also be listed in the exhibition catalog.

Information for Accepted Artists

Exhibition Schedule

Exhibition Schedule:

  • May 12 Entry Deadline
  • May 29 Notification @ 5 PM
  • Jun 18 – 22 Accepted and Shipped Work Must Arrive at MFA Circle Gallery
  • Jun 26 Exhibition Opens
  • Jun 29 Virtual Awards Ceremony from 4 – 5 PM via Zoom
  • Jul 8 Opening Reception at MFA Circle Gallery from 5 – 7 PM
  • Jul 26 Last Day of the Exhibition; Closing Reception at MFA Circle Gallery from 4 – 6 PM
  • Jul 27 –  28 Pick-up Hand-Delivered Work from 11 AM – 4 PM
  • Jul 31 Shipped Work Will Be Sent

NOTE: Should Circle Gallery or any other exhibition space be closed for reasons beyond our control, MFA reserves the right to move a planned physical exhibit to our online gallery.

Delivery and Shipping

Delivery

  • All work delivered to the gallery must have the following information affixed to the non-viewing side of the artwork:
    • Artist Name
    • Address, phone number, and email
    • Title of the work, medium, and price. Be specific with medium descriptions (e.g., oil on hardboard or canvas, not oil; chromogenic print or archival inkjet print, not photography or digital print; oil pastel on paper, not pastel; etc.)
  • Work must arrive on scheduled dates.
  • Paintings must be dry.
  • Measure to ensure work meets size limitations before delivery, include outer edges of frames. Work not in compliance will not be exhibited. No exceptions.
  • Entering this exhibition indicates understanding and agreement on the part of the artist with the conditions stated herein and with (a) MFA’s approved Statement of Equity and Diversity and (b) MFA’s General Guidelines. Work must meet exhibition guidelines to be included in the event. MFA may determine work ineligible if entry guidelines are not followed. Work delivered must correspond with the image(s) submitted to the juror.
  • All shipped work must include a bar-coded shipping label. Do not send by United States Postal Service (USPS). We prefer UPS but accept FedEx. No shipping peanuts allowed.
  • Please affix packing/repacking instructions to OUTSIDE of the shipping box.
  • Tips on shipping can be viewed on the RedDotBlog

Pickup and Storage

Pickup and Storage

  • Unless previous arrangements have been made, work placed in storage after announced pickup dates will be subject to a fine of $10 per piece, per week. Work left in storage longer than two (2) weeks shall become MFA property and may be disposed of, or used for fundraising purposes. There are no exceptions.

Liability

Liability

All work will be handled with all possible care, but pieces submitted for the exhibition are at the artist’s risk. In the event of damage or theft, MFA will not be held liable. If insurance is desired, the artist must carry it.

Sales

Sales

  • All work entered into any exhibition must be for sale unless prior agreements are made, and marked either with a price or POR for Price On Request.
  • Artists will retain 70% from sales (75% for MFA Members). MFA will retain 30% commission (25% for MFA Members) on any work sold through MFA.
  • The sale of artwork is taxable and all sales tax processing will be handled by MFA.
  • Sold artwork requiring shipment will be handled by MFA with costs collected from the buyer. Buyers will be asked if the work may be retained until the exhibit ends. If the buyer disagrees, the Gallery will let the work go, and the artist will be informed.
  • MFA asks that artists donate 20% from any sale made through a direct referral from MFA within three months. All donations are used to help defray operating costs of the Maryland Federation of Art and are tax-deductible by the artists to the full extent of the law.

Notification

All entrants will be sent notice by email. Artists who have unsubscribed from MFA emails will not receive notification. The notice to accepted artists will include specific details and could vary from the prospectus. A list of accepted artists and artwork will also be posted on MFA’s website. Please set your email account to recognize notification@mdfedart.org and info@mdfedart.org. Contact Circle Gallery if you do not receive notice by 5 PM on the day of notification.