In recent years, an integral part of the submission review process for PRISM has been choosing a theme based on the body of work submitted that year by students. Reviewers looked for common threads among the artwork and built a theme based on what they observed. The intention has been for the theme to be a result of the current state of affairs of OSU student artists; in a year when many people were inspired by outside perceptions and the physical, we saw Bodies. Last year, a record-breaking number of submissions reminded volunteers of the whimsical and adventurous sides of art, and Storyteller was born. Both of these issues of our award-winning magazine are beautiful and enthralling, reflective of the times in which they were produced.
This year, however, the editors have decided to change things up and choose a theme prior to opening submissions. Our decision to make this change stems from our desire to increase transparency about the standards by which our submissions are reviewed. We want every student artist who submits to PRISM to feel that they are contributing to a cohesive body of work.
All that being said, it is our pleasure to introduce the theme of PRISM Volume 145: Roots.
This choice came from conversations between the editors about what things we are excited to see in this year’s submissions, from literature that fosters connection and new forms of communication, to art that speaks to more uplifting emotions to create balance with darker subjects, to wide representations of different backgrounds and cultures. For this issue, we want to encourage student artists to dig deep into their own roots. You might find inspiration in your cultural heritage, your connections to the places or people you grew up around, or future roots you hope to build for yourself. You might take the ecological metaphor approach: roots as forces of anchoring, feeding, and connecting. Or, you might explore what happens when those life-giving forces are taken over by rot. We encourage you to question the definition of “roots” and be as creative as possible with your submissions. Don’t hesitate to expand your ideas of what art can be; use the theme as a starting point, then stretch wide and dive deep to capture what Roots means to you.
Keep in mind that submissions for the 2024-2025 edition of PRISM are being considered for both print and online publication. The submission window is October 2nd, 12:00 am PST – December 2nd, 11:59 pm PST. If you have any questions about the submission process, please email omn.prism [at] oregonstate [dot] edu or prism.assist [at] oregonstate [dot] edu.
