For our eleventh issue, the Journal of Art Criticism (JAC) seeks essays and original artworks
that interrogate the notion of SPIRAL in the changing world of contemporary art. Some
questions that might guide this exploration include—but are certainly not limited to—the
following:

Spirals are directional. They move up and down. In and out. Oscillate from loose to
tight. How do these ascensions and descensions manifest in contemporary art?
The world is full of spirals: snail shells, tree rings, double helixes, pythagorean
geometry all rely on the spiral. How does contemporary artistic practice respond to the
spiraling of the natural world?
What does it feel like to spiral? How does it look? How do contemporary artistic
practices facilitate or ameliorate that feeling?
The hypnotic power of the spiral cannot be denied. Where does this power come from?
What can it do?
The shape of a spiral is both a circle and a line. How does this reflect temporality? What
does the spiral reveal about the motion of time?

We welcome written submissions discussing any work of contemporary art from painting to
performance, relational aesthetics to sculptural installation—so long as it engages critically
with some dimension SPIRAL as it manifests in contemporary art. Essays should be
1,000–3,000 words and previously unpublished.

We are also seeking submissions of original visual art in any medium considering the theme
of SPIRAL. Artist statements are accepted for submission, but not required. Written statements do not appear alongside artwork in the journal.

Undergraduate students from any institution are encouraged to submit. Please note that
JAC is a strictly undergraduate journal. As such, we are regrettably unable to consider
submissions from postgraduates.

Submissions are due by Sunday January 25th, 2026.
Please visit https://journalofartcriticism.com/ for full submission guidelines.