NOT REAL ART

05/06/2026

Modern Love is our May 2026 exhibition, and it's packed with work that's complicated, tender, strange, and raw.

From declarations of self-love to memories of painful rejections, from fleeting encounters to moments of intense connection, the artists in this show take on intimacy and eros from every angle.

You'll see oil paintings of "robosexuals," Japanese-inspired embroidery of couples sexting, futuristic sculptures on the dehumanization of modern relationships, and candid self-portraits made for hookup apps.

See the full exhibition at the link below.

https://artsy.short.gy/Tv7hhE

05/05/2026

Michael Moore builds machines that look like they escaped from a mad scientist's fever dream: scrap steel, blinking warning lights, vintage oddities, all wired together in his garage.

And now one of those machines might land him in Artforum.

Michael is a finalist in the People's Artist Contest, a national public-vote competition presented by Artforum, Johnny Depp, and Art of Elysium.

He was one of the very first guests on the NOT REAL ART podcast, and he's been making gloriously weird kinetic art ever since. His piece 'Dr. Dirtknapp's Cremation Station' got him to the finals. (He says it nearly gave him a heart attack in the process.)

Voting is open May 4–14 at peoplesartist.org. Takes about 30 seconds. And it could mean everything to a self-taught artist from Chicagoland who's been building his own path, one salvaged part at a time.

Full episode + voting link: https://artsy.short.gy/Vt8mx0

Go vote for Michael. 🔩

04/16/2026

Engineering teaches you to solve for variables. Caregiving teaches you that some variables cannot be solved, only held.

Sarah Buckius has worked inside both systems, and the tension between them runs through everything she makes. As a mechanical engineer, she was trained to identify a problem, define the variables, and design toward a solution. As a cancer survivor and mother of three — including premature twins with serious early health challenges — she learned that caregiving does not work that way.

"Caregiving is a process that feels never-ending, with no real beginning or end," she says. "It is messy, chaotic, and human." And much of it is entirely unpaid.

What strikes Sarah is how much caregiving resembles the foundational labor that makes technological progress possible and how thoroughly economic systems have managed to keep that labor off the books. The next generation of engineers, designers, and inventors is raised by someone. That work counts. It just does not get counted.

Artist and engineer Sarah Buckius reveals how women’s unseen work complicates conventional ideas of progress and what technology can solve in a patriarchy.

03/31/2026

Talk to artists about AI, and you’ll find a spectrum of responses. Some see it as a new creative partner, others as a threat to what makes art meaningful. We asked artists from our exhibitions about their stance on using artificial intelligence in their work. Their answers reveal just how complicated this moment is.

Some artists are eager to experiment, others are holding back. For many, AI is a tool with real potential. For others, it raises questions about authorship, ethics, and what we lose when the process becomes automated.

Artists like Josh Urban Davis, Michael Ricciardi, Chris Combs, and Noah Scalin are each finding their own way through this territory. Our latest exhibition, "Out of Bounds: Pushing the Lines Between Technology and Art," brings these tensions into focus.

Read the full story below.

We asked four artists from our recent exhibitions how AI is shaping their creative work—and what they see coming next.

03/24/2026

Art and AI: Can they coexist? Our latest exhibition, 'Out of Bounds,' brings together artists who are exploring what it means to be creative in the age of AI.

Some artists see incorporating AI into their work as both an opportunity and a challenge, while others anticipate untold evils unleashed by Big Tech in the years ahead. One thing is clear: human hands still matter. Check out their answers below, and let us know: what does creativity mean to you in the age of AI?

Artists featured in our recent tech-themed exhibition, 'Out of Bounds,’ reflect on how AI is reshaping creativity and artistic expression.

03/17/2026

If you’ve ever wondered how neon art comes to life, here’s your chance to find out. Kacie Lees, a Brooklyn-based artist and educator, is lighting up our latest exhibition, Out of Bounds: Pushing the Lines Between Technology and Art, with her glowing work. Kacie’s pieces explore everything from spirals and lightning bolts to the quirks of working with glass and gas.

In this week’s Q+Art interview, Kacie gets into the nitty-gritty of neon, shares what really happens in her workshops, and even drops a solid dad joke. She also talks about the meaning behind her featured installation, “Inner Beams,” and what attendees can expect from her upcoming classes.

Check out the article for the full interview, details on her upcoming workshops, and a peek into the Out of Bounds exhibition. Link below.

Working across neon, video, and print, teaching artist Kacie Lees recreates iconic symbols and shapes that pulse with color, light, energy, and emotion.

03/14/2026

🎨 Open Call for Artists! 🎨

NOT REAL ART’s First Friday Exhibition series is back for 2026, and this time, we're inviting artists from around the world to submit to “Modern Love: Reflections on Intimacy and Eros.”

Whether you explore intimacy, desire, connection, or heartbreak in your art, we want to see your work. All mediums and styles are welcome (except fully AI-generated pieces).

Selected artists will be featured in our virtual show, considered for a long-form interview and podcast guest spot, and gain permanent access to our exclusive artist database.

🗓️ Exhibition: May 1–June 4, 2026
🎨 Submission Deadline: April 1, 2026
📍 Location: NotRealArt.com

Submit up to 3 works, your bio, and artist statement. Details at NotRealArt.com.

Submissions are now open for our spring exhibition, ‘Modern Love.’ Artists can submit their pieces until April 1, 2026, for a chance to be featured.

03/12/2026

This Women’s History Month, we’re spotlighting seven women rewriting the rules around art, technology, and gender. From sci-fi-inspired installations to holographic collage installations, these artists continually break new ground, upend old ideas, and open new ways of thinking about who gets to invent.

Their work is on view in the new exhibition, “Out of Bounds: Pushing the Lines Between Technology and Art.”

Curious to see how these innovators are reshaping the future? Check out our story below

Explore how women working at the crossroads of art and tech are changing narratives, making history, and expanding what’s possible this Women’s History Month.

02/26/2026

We’re thrilled to introduce you to Malti B Lee, an Austin-based artist whose journey across four continents has shaped her unique perspective and her stunning paintings. 🌍🎨

In our latest Q+Art interview, Malti shares how moving from London, Spain, India, and the Middle East to Austin, Texas, inspired her “Local Imprints” series. Her work explores what it means to find home in unexpected places, blending architectural details from around the world with Austin’s city streets.

Malti’s work is on view in our current exhibition, “Lone Star: New Takes on the 28th State.” Get to know the artist, her creative process, and the stories behind her work in our Q&A.

👇 Read the full interview and see what makes Malti’s work so special.

Austin-based artist Malti B Lee discusses how motherhood, migration, and city streets inspire her architectural paintings and shape her sense of home.

02/24/2026

🌽✨We’re thrilled to share our latest interview with Suzy González, whose work is featured in our January 2026 exhibition, "Lone Star: New Takes on the 28th State."

Suzy’s art goes beyond the canvas, blending activism, ancestral wisdom, and histories of the Texas landscape into powerful portraits made with maíz, corn husks, and other natural materials. Her work explores identity, community, and the deep connections we have to land, plants, and tradition.

Want to know how Texas has shaped Suzy’s vision?

🎨 Read the full interview and discover how Indigenous perspectives and Texas history shape Suzy’s groundbreaking portraiture.

San Antonio artist Suzy González blends activism and ancestral wisdom in her ‘Plantcestors’ series, redefining identity and place through natural materials.

02/19/2026

We’re excited to spotlight Alicia Garza, a trailblazing Rio Grande Valley artist redefining wearable art and sustainability 👗
From thrifted treasures to one-of-a-kind pieces, Alicia’s creations celebrate Southern Texas’s rich cultural tapestry and resourcefulness. In our latest interview, she opens up about her creative journey, influences from Tejano and Indigenous traditions, and how art can spark conversations about identity and community.
🌟 See Alicia Garza’s incredible work in our January exhibition, "Lone Star: New Takes on the 28th State,” and read her interview below.

Rio Grande Valley artist Alicia Garza transforms secondhand textiles into something bright and unexpected, somewhere between fashion, craft, and activism.