The Groove goes East. Far Out Far East is a celebration of Asian pop culture and its explosion into global visual art: anime, manga, street fashion, action figures, bold graphics, and the iconography that has shaped generations of artists worldwide. Whether your work pays homage to the classics or remixes the genre entirely, this show is for art that channels the energy of the East.

Far Out, Far East explores the celebration of Asian culture, arts, and themes. The term “Far East” was coined when Europe imagined itself as the center of the world. Today, it feels outdated, exoticizing, and imprecise. This exhibition invites artists to challenge, reinterpret, or completely reinvent that idea. We welcome work that is traditional, contemporary, experimental, humorous, critical, or deeply personal. We especially encourage “deep cuts”—mythologies, subcultures, hybrid identities, and unexpected perspectives.

Accepted Media: all

Suggested Areas of Exploration:

Reframing “Far East” - Interrogate the term itself—its origins, its limitations, its impact on Western imagination.

What Is “Asian”? - Identity, diaspora, hybridity, stereotype, authenticity, and cultural remixing.

Tradition & Transformation - Classical motifs reimagined through modern media, technology, or abstraction.

Subculture & Deep Cuts - Cosplay, anime, martial arts cinema, kaiju, street fashion, gaming, niche histories.

The Body & Erotics - Sensuality, gender, gaze, fetishization, and the politics of desire. Erotic themes are acceptable when presented with artistic intention.

The Far Out - Surrealism, futurism, psychedelia, speculative worlds, and cross-cultural hybrids.

At The Groove, our motto is "Art for Everyone." We take pride in our inclusive gallery approach—while our shows are juried, we strive to feature a wide variety of artists and art forms that reflect the richness of New Mexico’s creative community. Our large gallery space can accommodate 70+ pieces, all by New Mexico artists.

30% of all sales are retained by The Groove to fund community outreach and arts programming throughout Albuquerque. We maintain a strict policy against AI-generated work and any content deemed pornographic by the jury.

• Application deadline: August 24

• , 2026 (midnight)

• Art dropoff: August 30, 12 - 2 PM

• Opening Reception: September 4, 2026, 5 - 9 PM

• Closing Reception: September 26, 2026, 3 - 4 PM

• Pick-Up Work: September 26, 4 - 5 PM