INTRODUCTION

UNRULY MIRRORSexplores beauty salons across East and Central Asia as spaces of contradiction—sites where normative ideals are reproduced, but also where intimacy, appropriation, and subtle forms of resistance take shape.

Beauty practices are never neutral. They reflect social norms, economic pressures, and cultural narratives, and are deeply entangled with phenotypical stereotypes, traditional gender roles, and socio-economic structures. They shape not only how we see ourselves, but also our access to participation in society and our sense of agency.

The Goethe-Institutes inAlmaty,Hongkong,Peking,Seoul,Taschkent,TokioandUlaanbaatarask:
What happens when we make these norms visible and subject them to transcultural and feminist critique? How might aesthetic practices be reimagined as forms of self-determination?

Open Call

In summer 2026, we invite artists to submit works or project proposals engaging with these questions.
An international jury will select seven contributions—one from each location. The chosen projects will receive funding and be presented in a shared traveling exhibition starting in spring 2027.
Local curators will accompany each project, facilitating exchange between artists, audiences, and institutions.

Public Program
The exhibition will be accompanied by locally curated programs, including:
• Talks & workshops
• Film screenings & readings
• Performances
• Pop-up beauty salons
These formats open up space for alternative narratives and invite active engagement.

Publication & Future Plans
An exhibition catalogue will be developed in collaboration with Missy Magazine, the Berlin-based bimonthly print publication dedicated to pop culture, politics, and feminism. The project will continue in Germany at the end of 2027 in cooperation with Grand Beauty, a Leipzig-based, award-winning transcultural initiative for beauty, diversity, and dialogue that brings together beauty practitioners with and without migration backgrounds.

Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for artists from all disciplines with existing works or new project proposals.
Submissions should engage with the body, beauty, and identity within the tensions between societal expectations and feminist perspectives.

What We Offer
• Selection of 7 projects (one per location)
• Financial support for project realization
• Participation in an international traveling exhibition (2027)
• Involvement in the public program (talks, workshops, performances)
• International visibility and exchange
• Presentation in Germany and in Missy Magazine

Application Materials
Please submit the following documents as a single PDF:
• Project description / concept (max. 1–2 pages)
• Preliminary budget (including a rough cost breakdown)
• Portfolio / work samples
• Short biography
• Contact details

Selection Process
Selection will be made by an international jury.

Evaluation criteria:
• Artistic quality
• Thematic relevance
• Context sensitivity
• Feasibility in terms of transport and exhibition (traveling exhibition)

Timeframe
Open Call: May 15 – July 15, 2026
Selection: July 16 – August 31, 2026
Production: September 1 – December 31, 2026
Exhibition & Program: 2027

Application Notes
• Applications must be submitted in English
• Collaborative and process-based approaches are welcome
• The project places emphasis on diversity and a range of perspectives
• Works must be mobile and adaptable to different installation settings
• Performances are possible, provided participation across multiple locations can be ensured
• The project will be communicated internationally across multiple media platforms

Application & Contact

Please submit your application byJuly 15, 2026 to: unrulymirrors@goethe.de  

For any questions, please contact unrulymirrors@goethe.de  or reach out to the project coordinator of Hong Kong, Ms. Judith Cheng (Hoi.Cheng@goethe.de).

PARTNERS

MISSY MAGAZINE
Missy Magazine is a bi-monthly print publication based in Berlin that focuses on pop culture, politics, and feminism.

GRAND BEAUTY
Grand Beauty is a multi-award-winning transcultural initiative based in Leipzig dedicated to beauty, diversity, and dialogue. It brings together beauty experts with and without migration backgrounds.