Open Call
Return 02 — Open Call
Molend Art × KONspace101
Exhibition dates: 28–30 September
Curatorial Statement
Return is an ongoing curatorial project that explores the evolving condition of the individual through contemporary artistic practice.
The first edition, Return 01, focused on bodily perception, emotional experience, and the ways individuals locate themselves within everyday reality. Through diverse artistic approaches, it offered intimate observations of identity, vulnerability, and existence.
Building on this foundation, Return 02 expands the conversation into broader cultural contexts. Individual experiences are never isolated—they are shaped through language, memory, place, and daily life, gradually forming connections with culture in subtle yet profound ways.
This edition will be presented simultaneously in Glasgow and Tokyo, creating a dialogue between two distinct cultural environments. As artworks are experienced across different geographical and social contexts, new relationships emerge through comparison, juxtaposition, and shared viewing.
We invite artists to begin with their own lived experiences and contribute to a collective exploration of culture as something fluid, personal, and continuously evolving.
Who Can Apply
We welcome submissions from artists working across all disciplines, including but not limited to:
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Painting
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Installation
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Moving Image
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Digital Art
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Photography
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Sound Art
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Mixed Media
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Interdisciplinary Practices
Artists at all career stages are encouraged to apply.
Selected Artists Will Receive
Dual-City Exhibition
Selected works will be presented across exhibition spaces in Glasgow (UK) and Tokyo (Japan).
International Media Exposure
Selected artists will receive promotional opportunities including:
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Feature coverage by two art media platforms
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Opportunity to be published in ZAO (UK) and TIE (Japan) (selected works only)
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Promotion through the official websites and social media channels of Molend Art and KONspace
Cultural Feature in Japan
Selected artists will also be recommended through Note, one of Japan's leading platforms for cultural and artistic writing.
Exhibition Certificates
Artists will receive two official Certificates of Participation—one issued by Molend Art (UK) and one by KONspace (Japan).
Shipping & Presentation
Physical Artworks
Because Return 02 is an international dual-city exhibition, artists whose physical works are selected will be responsible for all shipping arrangements, customs clearance, insurance, and associated costs for delivery to and return from the designated exhibition venue (Glasgow or Tokyo).
Digital Presentation
To reduce international shipping and encourage wider participation, we strongly welcome:
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Digital artworks
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Moving image works
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Works suitable for high-quality giclée printing
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Screen-based presentations
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Projection-based installations
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Other digital presentation formats that faithfully represent the original work
How to Apply
Please submit your application materials as a single compressed folder via email to:
Submission Deadline
28 August 2026, 23:59 (BST / GMT+1)
Sales
Return 02 is a non-commercial exhibition.
All works are presented for exhibition purposes only and will not be offered for sale during the exhibition.
As no sales are conducted as part of the exhibition, no gallery commission or sales commission applies.
Participation Fee
There is no application fee to submit to Return 02.
Artists selected for the exhibition will be required to pay a £150 participation fee upon accepting the invitation to participate.
The participation fee includes:
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Participation in the dual-city exhibition in Glasgow (UK) and Tokyo (Japan)
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Exhibition production and installation
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Curatorial support throughout the project
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Opportunity for publication in ZAO Magazine (UK) and TIE Magazine (Japan), subject to editorial selection
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Promotion through the official websites and social media channels of Molend Art and KONspace
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Exhibition documentation
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Two official Certificates of Participation (issued by Molend Art and KONspace)
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International project coordination and administrative support
The participation fee contributes towards the costs of venue hire, exhibition production, installation, project administration, documentation, marketing, promotion, and international coordination required to deliver a two-country exhibition programme.
About the Organisers
Molend Art
Molend Art is an international contemporary art organisation based in Scotland. Through exhibitions, publishing, artist interviews, research and cross-cultural collaborations, Molend Art supports artists at different stages of their practice while encouraging dialogue between contemporary art communities internationally.
KONspace 101
KONspace 101 is an independent contemporary art space based in Tokyo. The organisation presents exhibitions, supports international cultural exchange and collaborates with artists and curators across a wide range of contemporary artistic practices.
Exhibition Dates：
28–30 September
Open Call Period：
1 July – 28 August
Our Team：
Curator--Bowen wu
Director of Curatorial Affairs-- Ning Hu，Yaney Tang
Assistant Curator -
Ivy Wei，Jiahui Huang