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THE EXTRAORDINARY
An exhibition generated from an OPEN CALL of artists holding or applying for an O-1 Artist Visa




THE EXTRAORDINARY
An exhibition generated from an OPEN CALL of artists holding or applying for an O-1 Artist Visa

Curated by Arden Sherman and Nora Maite Nieves 


Participating Artists:
Sarah Mihara Creagen, Canada
Woomin Kim, South Korea
Firoz Mahmud, Bangladesh
Yue Nakayama, Japan
Anna Parisi, Brazil
Shimpei Shirafuji, Japan
Catalina Tuca, Chile
Ramyar Vala, Iran

October 16, 2019 - February 29, 2020
Hunter East Harlem Gallery


The Extraordinary is group show of eight artists who have or are seeking an O-1 Non-immigration Visa: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement. Qualification for an O-1 Visa is based on subjective and complicated set of criteria: that individuals be “renowned” and have “distinction” in their field. The exhibition aims to bring attention and transparency to the immigration process while also critiquing this very system. The Extraordinary is an exhibition that visa-seeking artists can list on their CVs as part of the visa-qualifying process. The exhibition checklist was generated from an open call that received 123 applications from artists from 40 different countries. The eight artists included here were selected by a jury made of immigrant arts workers. 
Jurors:
✦ María del Carmen Carrión, Project Manager, Cisneros Institute at MoMA
✦ Solana Chehtman, Director of Civic Programs, The Shed
✦ Hitomi Iwasaki, Director of Exhibitions & Curator, Queens Museum
✦ Javier Telles, internationally recognized artist

The structure that surrounds The Extraordinary aims to locate HEHG as a resource for the community and a safe place for critical discourse around the misunderstandings and misconceptions about legal immigration. Programming will include workshops with immigration lawyers, an artist panel discussion, support group sessions with O-1 Visa holders, performances, and more.

The Extraordinary is curated by Arden Sherman and Nora Maité Nieves at Hunter East Harlem Gallery. Support for this exhibition is generously provided by The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, and Hunter College.

Exhibition Webpage.


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New York, New York